Connecticut
Connecticut Sun get ready to face former UConn star Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx in WNBA playoffs
![Connecticut Sun get ready to face former UConn star Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx in WNBA playoffs](https://www.courant.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AP23216131193344.jpg?w=1024&h=683)
Last offseason, as the Connecticut Sun shipped away former WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones and watched as former general manager and two-time coach of the year Curt Miller packed his bags for Los Angeles, it would have been easy to assume that 2023 was going to be a rebuilding year.
Instead, the 2022 Finals runner-up galvanized around new head coach Stephanie White, got MVP-caliber play from forward Alyssa Thomas, and rode one of the league’s best offenses en route to a 27-13 record and a third-place finish in the standings.
On Wednesday, the Sun will take on the Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. It’s the seventh consecutive postseason appearance for the franchise.
The Sun can thank Thomas for much of their success, as her season wasn’t just MVP-level– it was historic. The 6-2 forward set WNBA single-season records for assists (316), double-doubles (27) and triple-doubles (6), became the first player to lead the league in both rebounds and assists, and became the first ever to record 600 points, 300 rebounds and 300 assists in a season. She finished with totals of 15.5 points, 9.9 boards, 7.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
Alyssa Thomas just had one of the best WNBA regular seasons of all time 🔥 @ConnecticutSun
◽️ WNBA record 6 triple-doubles
◽️ WNBA record 28 double-doubles
◽️ WNBA record 317 assists
◽️ 1st player to lead league in AST & REB
◽️ 1st player with a 20-20-10 game
◽️ 1st player with… pic.twitter.com/dYxNpc9sng— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 11, 2023
“No one in this league does what she does. And to me, that’s what an MVP is,” Sun head coach Stephanie White told The Courant last week. “No one’s putting up the amount of numbers that she’s putting up across the board and doing what she does on the defensive end of the floor. It’s exceptional.”
In addition to Thomas’ brilliance, the Sun saw major contributions from forward DeWanna Bonner, who led the team in scoring at 17.4 points per game, and former UConn star Tiffany Hayes, who posted 12.1 points per.
They’ll face a Lynx squad that was led by a career year from former UConn star Napheesa Collier. Minnesota finished sixth in the league and rebounded from an 0-6 start to go 19-15 the rest of the way, sneaking into one of the final three playoff spots.
Collier averaged a career-high 21.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists this season and was named an All-Star for the third time, one year after giving birth to her daughter Mila. She was helped by another former Husky, rookie forward Dorka Juhasz, who averaged 6 points and 6.5 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game for the Lynx, and often took on tough defensive assignments.
“Dorka’s been so great for us, I’m so glad that she’s one of our rookies,” Collier told The Courant ahead of a Lynx game in Connecticut against the Sun last month. “She has not been in an easy position, stepping up as a rookie, having to play serious minutes starting and performing the way that she has — she’s guarding the best post player every night. So she’s been doing so well and I’m really, really proud of her.”
Connecticut will also have to contend with former Notre Dame guard Kayla McBride (14.3 ppg) and Maryland forward Diamond Miller (12.1 ppg), the top two scorers for the Lynx after Collier.
The best-of-three series begins on Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, with tip set for 8 p.m. ET. Game 2 is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, while a decisive Game 3 would be in Minnesota on Sept. 20, with tipoff time to be announced.
Taking a look at Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas’ strong case for WNBA MVP
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Connecticut
Connecticut Retailer Announces It's Finished, All Stores Will Close
![Connecticut Retailer Announces It's Finished, All Stores Will Close](https://townsquare.media/site/677/files/2024/07/attachment-RS33376_ThinkstockPhotos-105673995-scr.jpg?w=1200&q=75&format=natural)
It’s all done for a once mighty Connecticut retailer. All of the Nutmeg State Bob’s Stores are set to close their doors after a company announcement.
According to an NBC CT report:
Several companies in the Bob’s Stores and Mountain Sports portfolio will now move forward together in Chapter 11 bankruptcy court.Today’s court ruling consolidates the bankruptcy process for Bob’s and affiliated stores under the company umbrella.
Now NBC CT says action is being taken and all of the Connecticut Bob’s Stores will close, that list includes:
409 Main Street – Ansonia
2300 Dixwell Avevnue – Hamden
179 Pavilions Drive – Manchester
416 East Main Street – Middletown
195 Cherry Street – Milford
172 Kitts Lane – Newington
504 Bushy Hill Road – Simsbury
835 Queen Street – Southington
910 Wolcott – Waterbury
167 Parkway North – Waterford
We chatted about this on the Tuesday (7/2/24) edition of the I-95 Morning Show
Check out the Ethan, Lou & Large Dave Podcast on Apple and Spotify
During the show we each listed off what we remember buying at Bob’s and this is what each of us came up with:
Ethan: Hawaiian shirts
Lou: Ill-fitting pants
Dave: Jordan 2’s
That is quite the visual right there, that is how you dressed in 2000 if you could not decide on a scene. I think I’ve seen this exact outfit the last time I attended the Goshen Stampede. This is also a good-look for anyone who dresses like a slob hoping it will be taken as ironic which works great for Post Malone but if you work at the Post Office in Bethel, people might not get the joke.
4 Connecticut Based Department Stores That Are No More
I certainly remember shopping at three of the stores on this list and it transports me back to my youth and that makes it a find memory. These 4 stores were not only wildly popular in their day but they had their national headquarters right here in the Nutmeg State.
Gallery Credit: Lou Milano
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Gallery Credit: Lou Milano
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Gallery Credit: Lou Milano
Connecticut
Major Retailer Closing All Connecticut Locations: CT News
![Major Retailer Closing All Connecticut Locations: CT News](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/22791208/20240702/080245/styles/patch_image/public/patch-news-update-1___02195857699.jpg)
Patch PM CT brings you the breaking and trending news stories from all across Connecticut each weeknight. Here are those stories:
Gift cards and merchandise credits will be honored through close of business on July 14, according to the announcement. All sales are final during the store closing sale and no returns will be accepted, officials said.>>>Read More.
The diner, which has been an institution in town for 50 years, may be closing as plans for a new use are pending before the land-use boards.>>>Read More.
State police said in a report that the teens appeared to have been “slow rolling” on the highway before racing.>>>Read More.
The monkey, which cannot legally be owned in Connecticut, was captured with the help of its owner and relocated, reports say.>>>Read More.
Police said a man accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old child was arrested.>>>Read More.
Dr. Dwayne Smith, SCSU interim president, was among the 100 to receive the prestigious honor by the NAACP Connecticut State Conference.>>>Read More.
Other top stories:
The Patch community platform serves communities all across Connecticut in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Hartford, Tolland, and Litchfield counties. Thank you for reading.
Connecticut
CT governor announces Matt Brokman as new chief of staff
![CT governor announces Matt Brokman as new chief of staff](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d680a1f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2560x1344+0+0/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2F00%2F82b981354bc89382780d1e8073a2%2Fimg-1835-scaled.jpg)
Gov. Ned Lamont announced a new key player in his administration Tuesday.
Matt Brokman, a senior advisor to the governor since January 2023, will take on the role as Lamont’s chief of staff, effective immediately.
Brokman, previously chief of staff for House Majority Leader Jason Rojas and former Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, has also worked in the Connecticut House Democrats Office.
“I think people in this building on both sides of the aisle know him,” Lamont said of Brokman. “They know they can take him at his word, and I think that’s going to be incredibly valuable for us as a state going forward for the next two years.”
With the next regular legislative session about six months away, crafting Connecticut’s next biennium budget is at the forefront. Lamont has said the next budget cycle could be “complicated,” with the state required to spend the last of American Rescue Plan Act funds by the end of 2026.
Brokman replaces Jonathan Dach, who stepped away as Lamont’s chief of staff after a year and a half in the role, citing a move to New York.
Speaking Tuesday, Lamont praised Dach’s work in the “round the clock” chief of staff job, and in various other positions in his administration over the last six years.
Dach said he will continue working with the governor in a senior advisory role on policy projects, such as energy supply, higher education and housing.
The next regular legislative session runs from early January to June 2025
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