By Bryan Davis
SportsTicker
Wednesday, June 9, 1999; 5:43 p.m.

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey –The Eastern Conference of the WNBA in 1998 was a tight affair that came down to the last day and this season promises to be more of the same.

From top to bottom the conference is filled with contenders. Even the Washington Mystics, led by potential crossover star and top draft pick Chamique Holdsclaw of Tennessee, can harbor postseason aspirations.

The expansion Orlando Miracle, with coach Carolyn Peck, can hope for first-year success while the Charlotte Sting improved dramatically with the drafting of Tracy Reid last year. The Sting can only hope that newly selected Dawn Staley emulates the success they have had with Reid.

Staley, an Olympian and All-American from Virginia, is expected to shore up the point guard position for Charlotte. The main concern for coach Marynell Meadors is the status of Staley's oft-aching knees.

Besides being the consummate point guard, Staley can score and play defense. Her presence resulted in the release of Tora Suber, who was waived after playing in all 30 games last season.

"I think the No. 1 thing Staley has brought to our team is that she's a well-respected veteran point guard and people are listening to her and going on her cues," said Meadors. "She just has been a great leader for us."

She will partner with Andrea Stinson, who led the team in scoring the last two years. Stinson averaged 15 points a game last season and is lethal in the open court.

Reid had a fantastic rookie season, giving the Sting another player who can run the floor or operate in the paint. Reid averaged 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game en route to Rookie of the Year honors.

Reid teams up front with Rhonda Mapp and Vicky Bullett for a physical frontline that can score and rebound. Charlotte Smith and rookie Angie Braziel will be used in a reserve capacity. Stephanie McCarty, who starred for the NCAA champion Purdue Boilermakers, is recovered from a sprained ankle suffered in the title game and should provide offense off the bench.

The second-year Detroit Shock just missed the playoffs in their inaugural season but hopes that some preseason injury woes will heal and they can go through the regular season relatively healthy.

Of the projected starting lineup of Val Whiting, Cindy Brown, Dominique Canty, Korie Hlede and Jennifer Azzi, all but Canty have missed time during training camp.

"We look like a MASH unit. I'm Hawkeye and the rest of the Detroit Shock are casualties," said coach Nancy Lieberman-Cline. "You know you're having a lot of injury problems when your retired 40-year-old coach has to scrimmage for the first week and run suicides and sprints."

Hlede suffered a knee injury following a successful rookie season. She showed scoring ability and a well-rounded all-around game. Hlede has spent much of the offseason getting in shape and should be ready to start the season.

Hlede will team with Azzi in the backcourt. Azzi, a former Olympian, should click with Lieberman-Cline and the guard spot will get stronger when Sandy Brondello, who led the team in scoring last season (14.2 ppg), returns.

The Shock led the league in rebounding in 1998 and should be improved with the addition of Whiting and Canty to the frontline along with Brown and Rachel Sporn. Canty was a force off the glass and scoring inside for the University of Alabama, despite her 5-10 frame.

The New York Liberty changed coaches in hopes of satisfying high expectations. Richie Adubato takes over for Nancy Darsch but faces the same dilemma that Darsch was forced to deal with, a team without a commitment to defense and offensive ineptitude.

Adubato hopes the difficulty in scoring from the outside will be solved with the addition of Crystal Robinson, who was among the league leaders in three-point shooting in the ABL. Robinson will be counted on to open up the inside for forwards Kym Hampton and Rebecca Lobo.

One surprise could be guard Becky Hammon, who was signed as a free agent. She was second in the country in scoring at Colorado State. The "Spoon's" – Teresa Weatherspoon and Sophia Witherspoon – both return. Weatherspoon is a defensive spark plug and the team's emotional leader.

The Liberty focused on the frontcourt in the draft, picking up Michele VanGorp from Duke, Tamika Whitmore of Memphis and signing former Olympian Venus Lacy. Hampton is one of the better centers in the league and if Lobo improves, Adubato's first season could be a winning one.

The defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Rockers got hit with two pieces of bad news coming into the series. First, guard Suzie McConnell-Serio will be out for up to six weeks with a foot injury. Then, leading scorer Isabelle Fijalkowski decided to remain in France.

That left coach Linda Hill-MacDonald with a couple of holes to fill. Rookie Kellie Jolly Harper steps from Tennessee into the starting point guard spot. Her game is similar to McConnell-Serio's, without the experience.

Chasity Melvin will fill in at center. She was not a big scorer with Philadelphia in the ABL but does have offensive skills. Someone will have to step up to alleviate some of the scoring burden from Michelle Edwards.

The search for frontcourt help resulted in the trade of Cindy Blodgett to Sacramento for center Quacy Barnes. The Rockers also drafted Tracy Henderson and rookie defensive standout Mery Andrade.

The most celebrated rookie in women's basketball did not disappoint as Holdsclaw scored a combined 40 points in her two exhibition games with the Mystics. Holdsclaw will team with Nikki McCray to become the city's strongest female duo since Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore.

Both Holdsclaw and McCray are athletic, quick and strong. After only three wins in their opening season, the Mystics should not only surpass their victory total, but contend for a playoff spot.

Darsch did not have to wait long for a second chance, getting the Washington job in the offseason. She quickly cleaned house, placing five players from last year's team on waivers. Of the expected starting lineup, only McCray was on the team in 1998.

Forward Shalonda Enis, who was the MVP of the final ABL All-Star Game and Australian Jennifer Whittle will team with Holdsclaw in the frontcourt. Andrea Nagy assumes the starting point guard duties.

The Miracle begins life with a proven winner in Peck, who guided Purdue to the NCAA championship. She has already installed the same up-tempo pressure defense that typified her collegiate teams and her positive attitude will suit the expansion team perfectly.

Peck does have some talent at her disposal, namely guards Nykesha Sales and Shannon "Pee Wee" Johnson. Sales has fully recovered from the Achilles tendon injury that sidelined her last season. Sales will be counted on to lead the team in scoring and key the defensive pressure. Johnson was the spark plug for the two-time ABL champion Columbus Quest.

Up front, the Miracle will be undersized, but quick. Tari Phillips, who blossomed in the ABL, is the tallest at 6-3. Taj McWilliams, Andrea Congreaves – plucked from Charlotte in the expansion draft – and Olympian Carla McGhee provide depth.

The Miracle will struggle, but should prove to be better then most expansion teams.