Login
Login

2001 Cleveland Rockers season

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{WNBA season

| team = Cleveland Rockers

| year = 2001

| attendance = 9,211

| wins = 22

| losses = 10

| conf = Eastern

| conf_place = 1st

| coach = Dan Hughes

| arena = Gund Arena

| playoffs = Lost First Round (2-1) to Charlotte Sting

| points = Merlakia Jones (13.5)

| rebounds = Chasity Melvin (5.7)

| assists = Helen Darling (3.4)

| television = WUAB (UPN 43)
Fox Sports Net Ohio

}}

The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Cleveland Rockers. The Rockers topped the Eastern Conference with the best record in franchise history, but their season ended shortly in the playoffs, losing in the first round to eventual conference champion Charlotte Sting.

Transactions

=WNBA draft=

{{see also|2001 WNBA draft}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="2%" | Round

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="5%" | Pick

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="10%" | Player

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="10%" | Nationality

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="10%" | School/Team/Country

1

| 11

| Penny Taylor

| {{AUS}}

| Dandenong Rangers (Australia)

2

| 27

| Jaynetta Saunders

| {{USA}}

| Texas A&M

3

|43

|Angelina Wolvert

|{{USA}}

|Oregon

4

|59

|Erin Batth

|{{USA}}

|Clemson

=Transactions=

class="wikitable" style="width:80%; text-align: center;"

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width=125" |Date

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" colspan="2" |Transaction

April 20, 2001

| Drafted Penny Taylor, Jaynetta Saunders, Angelina Wolvert and Erin Batth in the 2001 WNBA Draft{{Cite web |title=2001 Cleveland Rockers Transactions |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/CLE/2001_transactions.html |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}

April 30, 2001

|Signed Jessica Zinobile, Kim Williams, Rhonda Blades and Rhonda Smith

May 8, 2001

|Waived Kim Williams and Rhonda Smith

May 11, 2001

|Waived Rhonda Blades

May 22, 2001

|Waived Erin Batth

rowspan="4" |May 27, 2001

|Traded Jaynetta Saunders to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a 2002 2nd Round Pick

Traded a 2002 3rd Round Pick to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Jennifer Rizzotti
Waived Jessica Zinobile
Suspended contracts of Ann Wauters and Rushia Brown
June 1, 2001

|Waived Angelina Wolvert

June 16, 2001

|Waived Adia Barnes

July 10, 2001

|Waived Vicki Hall

July 12, 2001

|Waived Paige Sauer

Roster

{{sports roster

| team=Cleveland Rockers

| season = 2001

| style = WNBA

| players =

{{sports roster/entry | num = 23 | first = Mery | last = Andrade | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 169 | DOB = 1975-12-31 | yrs = 2 | college = Old Dominion | nat = POR}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 11 | first = Tricia | last = Bader Binford | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 4 | lbs = 125 | DOB = 1973-02-26 | yrs = 3 | college = Boise State | nat = USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 32 | first = Adia | last = Barnes | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 165 | DOB = 1977-02-03 | yrs = 3 | college = Arizona | nat = USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 34 | first = Rushia | last = Brown |nolink=1 | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 175 | DOB = 1972-05-05 | yrs = 4 | college = Furman | nat = USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 30 | first = Helen | last = Darling | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 6 | lbs = 164 | DOB = 1978-08-29 | yrs = 1 | college = Penn State | nat = USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 42 | first = Vicki | last = Hall | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 180 | DOB = 1969-10-03 | yrs = 1 | college = Texas | nat = USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 41 | first = Pollyanna | last = Johns Kimbrough | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 165 | DOB = 1975-11-06 | yrs = 2 | college = Michigan | nat = BAH}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 25 | first = Merlakia | last = Jones | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 147 | DOB = 1973-06-21 | yrs = 4 | college = Florida | nat = USA }}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 44 | first = Chasity | last = Melvin | pos = C/F | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 185 | DOB = 1976-05-03 | yrs = 2 | college = NC State | nat = USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 6 | first = Eva| last = Němcová | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 178 | DOB = 1972-12-03 | yrs = 4 | nat = Czechoslovakia}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 21 | first = Jennifer | last = Rizzotti | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 6 | lbs = 146 | DOB = 1974-05-15 | yrs = 2 | college = UConn | nat =USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 31 | first = Paige | last = Sauer | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 200 | DOB = 1977-12-08 | yrs = 1 | college = UConn | nat =USA}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 14 | first = Penny | last = Taylor | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 165 | DOB = 1981-05-24 | yrs = R | nat =AUS}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 12 | first = Ann | last = Wauters | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 193 | DOB = 1980-10-12 | yrs = 1 | nat = Belgium}}

{{sports roster/entry | num = 40 | first = Angelina | last = Wolvert |nolink=1 | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 3 | DOB = 1978-12-08 | yrs = R | college = Oregon | nat =USA}}

| head_coach =

{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Dan | last = Hughes | dab = basketball| college = Muskingum}}

| asst_coach =

{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Lisa | last = Boyer|college=}}

}}

Schedule

= Regular season =

{{WNBA game log start|Cleveland Rockers|end_year=2001|note=
Total: 22–10 (Home: 14–2; Road: 8–8)}}

{{WNBA game log section|Cleveland Rockers|May|first=yes

| home_wins = 1

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 0

| road_losses = 0

}}

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 1

| May 31

| Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200105310CLE.html W 69–34]

| Merlakia Jones (17)

| Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough (10)

| Chasity Melvin (5)

| Gund Arena

| 1–0

{{WNBA game log section|Cleveland Rockers|June

| home_wins = 5

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 4

| road_losses = 4

}}

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 2

| June 2

| @ Sacramento

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106020SAC.html L 65–70]

| Penny Taylor (19)

| Jones
Melvin (7)

| Andrade
Taylor (4)

| ARCO Arena

| 1–1

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 3

| June 5

| @ Los Angeles

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106050LAS.html L 50–58]

| Merlakia Jones (18)

| Merlakia Jones (12)

| Helen Darling (8)

| Staples Center

| 1–2

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 4

| June 7

| New York

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106070CLE.html W 67–49]

| Jones
Melvin (13)

| Merlakia Jones (8)

| Merlakia Jones (6)

| Gund Arena

| 2–2

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 5

| June 9

| Indiana

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106090CLE.html W 86–76]

| Chasity Melvin (22)

| Brown
Jones (6)

| Chasity Melvin (5)

| Gund Arena

| 3–2

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 6

| June 12

| @ Portland

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106120POR.html L 62–67]

| Penny Taylor (11)

| Merlakia Jones (7)

| Andrade
Jones (4)

| Rose Garden

| 3–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 7

| June 14

| @ Seattle

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106140SEA.html W 58–36]

| Chasity Melvin (16)

| Chasity Melvin (10)

| Mery Andrade (6)

| KeyArena

| 4–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 8

| June 16

| Miami

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106160CLE.html W 70–53]

| Merlakia Jones (18)

| Chasity Melvin (11)

| Andrade
Jones (5)

| Gund Arena

| 5–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 9

| June 17

| @ Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106170WAS.html W 57–55]

| Merlakia Jones (17)

| Chasity Melvin (12)

| Mery Andrade (6)

| MCI Center

| 6–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 10

| June 22

| Los Angeles

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106220CLE.html W 74–70]

| Merlakia Jones (26)

| Chasity Melvin (7)

| Helen Darling (4)

| Gund Arena

| 7–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 11

| June 24

| @ Miami

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106240MIA.html W 54–35]

| Chasity Melvin (11)

| Merlakia Jones (9)

| Jennifer Rizzotti (4)

| American Airlines Arena

| 8–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 12

| June 26

| Portland

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106260CLE.html W 61–57]

| Merlakia Jones (20)

| Taylor
Wauters (6)

| Helen Darling (5)

| Gund Arena

| 9–3

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 13

| June 27

| @ Orlando

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106270ORL.html W 65–41]

| Chasity Melvin (12)

| Hall
Melvin
Taylor (5)

| Helen Darling (8)

| TD Waterhouse Centre

| 10–3

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 14

| June 30

| @ Charlotte

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200106300CHA.html L 55–58]

| Rushia Brown (16)

| Merlakia Jones (7)

| Darling
Jones
Melvin (3)

| Charlotte Coliseum

| 10–4

{{WNBA game log section|Cleveland Rockers|July

| home_wins = 7

| home_losses = 1

| road_wins = 3

| road_losses = 1

}}

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 15

| July 1

| Minnesota

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107010CLE.html W 52–47]

| Merlakia Jones (13)

| Merlakia Jones (6)

| Helen Darling (6)

| Gund Arena

| 11–4

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 16

| July 6

| @ Utah

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107060UTA.html L 69–73]

| Jones
Melvin (13)

| Chasity Melvin (8)

| Mery Andrade (4)

| Delta Center

| 11–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 17

| July 8

| @ Houston

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107080HOU.html W 63–53]

| Helen Darling (18)

| Rushia Brown (11)

| Helen Darling (7)

| Compaq Center

| 12–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 18

| July 10

| Seattle

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107100CLE.html W 59–53]

| Rushia Brown (18)

| Rushia Brown (8)

| Brown
Darling
Rizzotti (4)

| Gund Arena

| 13–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 19

| July 11

| @ Indiana

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107110IND.html W 76–58]

| Darling
Taylor (14)

| Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough (5)

| Jennifer Rizzotti (7)

| Conseco Fieldhouse

| 14–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 20

| July 13

| Phoenix

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107130CLE.html W 69–61]

| Merlakia Jones (22)

| Merlakia Jones (11)

| Darling
Rizzotti (3)

| Gund Arena

| 15–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 21

| July 19

| New York

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107190CLE.html W 65–60]

| Ann Wauters (19)

| Brown
Jones (9)

| Helen Darling (6)

| Gund Arena

| 16–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 22

| July 21

| Charlotte

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107210CLE.html W 56–41]

| Ann Wauters (15)

| Brown
Jones (6)

| Helen Darling (4)

| Gund Arena

| 17–5

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 23

| July 25

| Miami

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107250CLE.html W 52–48 (OT)]

| Rushia Brown (15)

| Ann Wauters (10)

| Mery Andrade (5)

| Gund Arena

| 18–5

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 24

| July 27

| Indiana

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107270CLE.html L 63–67]

| Rushia Brown (20)

| Jones
Taylor (7)

| Mery Andrade (7)

| Gund Arena

| 18–6

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 25

| July 28

| @ Detroit

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107280DET.html W 57–50]

| Merlakia Jones (12)

| Ann Wauters (8)

| Helen Darling (2)

| The Palace of Auburn Hills

| 19–6

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 26

| July 30

| Orlando

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200107310CHA.html W 65–46]

| Helen Darling (16)

| Rushia Brown (8)

| Helen Darling (5)

| Charlotte Coliseum

| 20–6

{{WNBA game log section|Cleveland Rockers|August

| home_wins = 1

| home_losses = 1

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 3

}}

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 27

| August 4

| @ New York

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108040NYL.html W 58–43]

| Ann Wauters (14)

| Merlakia Jones (11)

| Rushia Brown (3)

| Madison Square Garden

| 21–6

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 28

| August 7

| @ Orlando

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108070ORL.html L 67–74]

| Merlakia Jones (20)

| Rushia Brown (7)

| Mery Andrade (5)

| TD Waterhouse Centre

| 21–7

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 29

| August 8

| Detroit

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108080CLE.html W 73–66]

| Jones
Taylor (14)

| Jones
Wauters (7)

| Andrade
Melvin (4)

| Gund Arena

| 22–7

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 30

| August 10

| Charlotte

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108100CLE.html L 53–55]

| Merlakia Jones (15)

| Ann Wauters (10)

| Ann Wauters (5)

| Gund Arena

| 22–8

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 31

| August 12

| @ Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108120WAS.html L 49–57]

| Chasity Melvin (13)

| Chasity Melvin (10)

| Helen Darling (4)

| MCI Center

| 22–9

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 32

| August 14

| @ Detroit

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108140DET.html L 65–76]

| Penny Taylor (21)

| Ann Wauters (8)

| Mery Andrade (5)

| The Palace of Auburn Hills

| 22–10

{{WNBA game log end|cle|end_year=2001}}

=Playoffs=

{{WNBA game log start|Cleveland Rockers|end_year=2001|playoffs=yes}}

{{WNBA game log section|Cleveland Rockers| First round vs. Charlotte Sting
Lost Series: 1–2|first=yes

}}

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 1

| August 16

| @ Charlotte

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108160CHA.html L 46–53]

| Ann Wauters (12)

| Merlakia Jones (7)

| Merlakia Jones (7)

| Charlotte Coliseum

| 0–1

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"

| 2

| August 18

| Charlotte

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108180CLE.html W 69–51]

| Merlakia Jones (19)

| Merlakia Jones (7)

| Darling
Rizzotti (6)

| Gund Arena

| 1–1

|- style="background:#fcc;"

| 3

| August 20

| Charlotte

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/boxscores/200108200CLE.html L 64–72]

| Merlakia Jones (13)

| Helen Darling (5)

| Helen Darling (10)

| Gund Arena

| 1–2

{{WNBA game log end|cle|end_year=2001|playoffs=yes}}

=Season standings=

{{2001 WNBA Eastern Conference standings|team=CLE}}

Statistics

{{WNBA roster statistics legend}}

=Regular Season=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | Player

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | GP

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | GS

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | MPG

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | FG%

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | 3P%

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | FT%

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | RPG

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="5%" | APG

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | SPG

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | BPG

! style="{{WNBA color cell|Cleveland Rockers}}" width="6%" | PPG

Merlakia Jones

| 30

| 30

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 33.3

| .438

| .265

| .793

| 5.5

| 1.5

| 1.0

| 0.1

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 13.5

Mery Andrade

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 32

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 32

| 27.9

| .339

| .200

| .667

| 2.7

| 3.1

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 1.6

| 0.3

| 4.8

Chasity Melvin

| 27

| 20

| 27.9

| .474

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 1.000

| .698

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 5.7

| 1.9

| 0.9

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 0.6

| 9.9

Ann Wauters

| 24

| 14

| 25.9

| .569

| .000

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| .800

| 4.8

| 1.5

| 0.7

| 0.5

| 9.8

Rushia Brown

| 30

| 24

| 25.3

| .518

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 1.000

| .730

| 4.4

| 1.2

| 1.5

| 0.3

| 8.3

Helen Darling

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 32

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 32

| 24.3

| .355

| .329

| .764

| 2.4

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 3.4

| 1.1

| 0.1

| 6.1

Penny Taylor

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 32

| 0

| 17.5

| .382

| .301

| .783

| 3.5

| 1.4

| 1.1

| 0.3

| 7.2

Vicki Hall

| 14

| 6

| 16.1

| .409

| .318

| .500

| 2.4

| 0.6

| 0.1

| 0.4

| 4.6

Jennifer Rizzotti

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 32

| 0

| 14.9

| .382

| .384

| .636

| 0.9

| 1.6

| 0.8

| 0.1

| 3.7

Eva Němcová

| 8

| 2

| 14.1

| .342

| .200

| .625

| 1.3

| 1.0

| 0.3

| style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 0.6

| 4.3

Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough

|18

|0

|6.6

|.444

|N/A

|.444

|1.7

|0.2

|0.0

|0.1

|1.6

Tricia Bader Binford

| 19

| 0

| 6.0

| .400

| .385

| N/A

| 0.6

| 0.6

| 0.3

| 0.0

| 1.1

Angelina Wolvert

|1

|0

|5.0

|.333

|N/A

|N/A

|1.0

|0.0

|0.0

|0.0

|2.0

Paige Sauer

|2

|0

|2.0

|.333

|N/A

|N/A

|1.0

|0.0

|0.0

|0.5

|1.0

Adia Barnes

|3

|0

|1.0

|style="background:#D3D3D3;"| 1.000

|N/A

|N/A

|0.3

|0.0

|0.0

|0.0

|0.7


‡Waived/Released during the season


†Traded during the season


≠Acquired during the season

References

{{reflist}}

{{Cleveland Rockers navbox}}

{{2001 WNBA season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2001 Cleveland Rockers Season}}

Category:Cleveland Rockers seasons

Cleveland

Cleveland Rockers