Portland Power (basketball)
Encyclopedia
The Portland Power was a women's professional basketball team in the American Basketball League
(ABL) based in Portland, Oregon
. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.
. The Power's first roster included:
The Power got off to a miserable start, going 5-17 under Bruce, who resigned on New Year's Day 1997 and was replaced by former Purdue
coach Lin Dunn
. Under Dunn, the Power managed to go 9-9 the rest of the first season, and finished last in the Western Conference.
from North Carolina's 1994 national championship team
and Delisha Milton from Florida
among other players, and won the Western Conference. Coach Dunn was named ABL Coach of the Year, and Williams was named the league's MVP. In the playoffs, the team met the conference runner-up, the Long Beach StingRays
, and lost 2 games to 0.
. Though they got off to a slow start, the Power was leading the Western Conference after completing a five-game win streak when the ABL abruptly folded due to financial difficulties on December 22, 1998.
At the time of their demise, the Power's starting lineup was:
After the franchise folded, many Power players went on to continue their careers in the WNBA.
1998 season (partial):
American Basketball League (1996-1998)
The American Basketball League, often abbreviated to the ABL of 1996 was an independent professional basketball league for women in the United States. At the same time the ABL was being formed, the National Basketball Association was creating the Women's National Basketball Association...
(ABL) based in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The Power began play in 1996, and disbanded when the ABL folded at the end of 1998.
1996-97 season
The Power's first head coach was Greg Bruce, who had previously been the head women's basketball coach at Portland StatePortland State Vikings
Portland State Vikings is the nickname of the NCAA-affiliated, intercollegiate athletic teams representing Portland State University of Portland, Oregon...
. The Power's first roster included:
- Lisa HarrisonLisa HarrisonLisa Harrison is a former American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early life:...
, forward for TennesseeTennessee Lady Volunteers basketballThe Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA women's basketball competition...
's 1991 national championship teamNCAA Women's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season... - Michelle MarciniakMichelle MarciniakMichelle Marciniak is a former All American collegiate and professional basketball player, who played point guard in the Women's National Basketball Association . As a floor general, Marciniak competed for two National Championships during her three year career at the University of Tennessee...
, guard for TennesseeTennessee Lady Volunteers basketballThe Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA women's basketball competition...
's 1996 national championship teamNCAA Women's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season... - Katy StedingKaty StedingKaty Steding is a former collegiate and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach.-College career:...
, Portland native, 1996 basketball Olympic gold medalistBasketball at the 1996 Summer OlympicsBasketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
, and forward for StanfordStanford CardinalThe Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
's 1990 national championship teamNCAA Women's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season... - Coquese WashingtonCoquese WashingtonCoquese Makebra Washington is a former collegiate and professional basketball player who currently serves as the head coach of Penn State's women's basketball team. Washington holds a law degree, and was also the first president of the WNBA Players Association, holding that position from 1999 to...
, guard for Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I... - Natalie WilliamsNatalie WilliamsNatalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, center for UCLAUCLA BruinsThe UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
's basketball team and volleyball national championship teamNCAA Women's Volleyball ChampionshipThe NCAA has contested team championships in women's volleyball since 1981. The following is a list of the champions of each division with their record for the year in which they won the championship, and the runner up, city, site and other final four participants for division I...
s in 1990 and 1991
The Power got off to a miserable start, going 5-17 under Bruce, who resigned on New Year's Day 1997 and was replaced by former Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
coach Lin Dunn
Lin Dunn
Lin Dunn is an American longtime women's basketball coach. She is most known for being the first coach and general manager for the Seattle Storm. She has more than 500 wins to her name....
. Under Dunn, the Power managed to go 9-9 the rest of the first season, and finished last in the Western Conference.
1997-98 season
In their second season, the Power showed much improvement. The team acquired Sylvia CrawleySylvia Crawley
Sylvia Crawley is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball forward, licensed minister and motivational speaker...
from North Carolina's 1994 national championship team
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
and Delisha Milton from Florida
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
among other players, and won the Western Conference. Coach Dunn was named ABL Coach of the Year, and Williams was named the league's MVP. In the playoffs, the team met the conference runner-up, the Long Beach StingRays
Long Beach Stingrays
The Long Beach Stingrays was a women's professional basketball team. It existed for only the 1997-98 season, and was a member of the American Basketball League....
, and lost 2 games to 0.
1998-99 season
For their third season, the Power acquired Steding's former Stanford teammate, point guard Sonja HenningSonja Henning
Sonja L. Henning is an attorney and former collegiate and professional basketball player. She grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, where she attended Horlick High School.-Stanford University:...
. Though they got off to a slow start, the Power was leading the Western Conference after completing a five-game win streak when the ABL abruptly folded due to financial difficulties on December 22, 1998.
At the time of their demise, the Power's starting lineup was:
- Katy StedingKaty StedingKaty Steding is a former collegiate and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach.-College career:...
, forward - Delisha Milton, forward
- Natalie WilliamsNatalie WilliamsNatalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, center - Elaine PowellElaine PowellElaine Powell is a professional basketball player. A point guard, she played in the WNBA from 1999 to 2008.-College career:In two years at LSU, Powell averaged 19.1 points per game...
, guard - Sonja HenningSonja HenningSonja L. Henning is an attorney and former collegiate and professional basketball player. She grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, where she attended Horlick High School.-Stanford University:...
, guard
After the franchise folded, many Power players went on to continue their careers in the WNBA.
Team records
| Season | W | L | Win % | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 14 | 26 | .350 | 4th Place, Western Conference |
| 1997-98 | 27 | 17 | .614 | Western Conference Champion |
| 1998 | 9 | 4 | .692 | 1st Place, Western Conference |
1997-98 playoff results
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| February 27, 1998 | at Long Beach 72, Portland 62 |
| March 1, 1998 | Long Beach 70, at Portland 69 |
| Long Beach wins series, 2-0 | |
ABL statistical leaders
1997-98 season:- Natalie WilliamsNatalie WilliamsNatalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, 1st in ABL in scoring (913 points, 21.7 points per game) - Natalie Williams, 2nd in ABL in rebounding (477 rebounds, 11.4 rebounds per game)
- Natalie Williams, 1st in ABL in field goal percentage (336 of 604, .556 average)
- Natalie Williams, 4th in ABL in blocks (47 blocks, 1.1 blocks per game)
1998 season (partial):
- Natalie WilliamsNatalie WilliamsNatalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, 2nd in ABL in scoring (258 points, 19.9 points per game) - Natalie Williams, 2nd in ABL in field goals percentage (94 of 162 .580 average)
- Katy StedingKaty StedingKaty Steding is a former collegiate and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach.-College career:...
, 1st in ABL in three-point goals (32 of 74 .432 average) - Natalie Williams, 2nd in ABL in rebounding (129 rebounds, 9.9 rebounds per game)
- Sonja HenningSonja HenningSonja L. Henning is an attorney and former collegiate and professional basketball player. She grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, where she attended Horlick High School.-Stanford University:...
, 2nd in ABL in assists (78 assists, 6.0 per game)
Rosters
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
|---|---|---|
|
Sylvia Crawley Sylvia Crawley is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball forward, licensed minister and motivational speaker... Molly Goodenbour Molly Goodenbour is a former college and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach for the UC Irvine Anteaters women's basketball team.-College career:... Lisa Harrison Lisa Harrison is a former American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early life:... Elaine Powell Elaine Powell is a professional basketball player. A point guard, she played in the WNBA from 1999 to 2008.-College career:In two years at LSU, Powell averaged 19.1 points per game... Charmin Smith Charmin Smith is the current assistant coach of the University of California women's basketball team where she has been since 2007. She is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. Smith played in American Basketball League or ABL and then the WNBA... Katy Steding Katy Steding is a former collegiate and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach.-College career:... Natalie Williams Natalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:... |
Sylvia Crawley Sylvia Crawley is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball forward, licensed minister and motivational speaker... Sonja Henning Sonja L. Henning is an attorney and former collegiate and professional basketball player. She grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, where she attended Horlick High School.-Stanford University:... Danielle McCulley Danielle McCulley, is a former professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever between 2000–02 and Seattle Storm between 2002-04 in the Women's National Basketball Association.-NCAA Career:... Elaine Powell Elaine Powell is a professional basketball player. A point guard, she played in the WNBA from 1999 to 2008.-College career:In two years at LSU, Powell averaged 19.1 points per game... Katy Steding Katy Steding is a former collegiate and professional basketball player and current college basketball coach.-College career:... Natalie Williams Natalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:... |
League honors
- Natalie WilliamsNatalie WilliamsNatalie Williams was a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, 1997-98 ABL Most Valuable Player - Lin DunnLin DunnLin Dunn is an American longtime women's basketball coach. She is most known for being the first coach and general manager for the Seattle Storm. She has more than 500 wins to her name....
, 1997-98 ABL Coach of the Year