Ex-ASU star January in Valley for WNBA finals

The WNBA finals between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever is not only the return of the championship round to the Valley, it's also the return of an old favorite - former Arizona State guard Briann January.

And there's just one way to describe the experience - amazing.

"That's the only word that comes to mind," January said Wednesday during practice at US Airways Center. "When I think about this year, everything that's happened and the growth that I have made just as a person and as a basketball player has been amazing. And to end up in the finals with this great group of girls, I couldn't have asked for a better team."

January nearly pulled out Game 1 for the Fever, who fell 120-116 in overtime on Tuesday night. The former Sun Devil was key during crunch time, making a driving layup with 47.8 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 102. In the Fever's final possession, she got the ball to star Tamika Catchings, who was whistled for an offensive foul. She finished the night with 11 points and seven assists in 27 minutes, the most of a nonstarter.

Not bad for the guard who just a few months ago was running the ASU offense - as she had for four seasons.

On Tuesday night, there she was. In the fourth quarter, Fever coach Lin Dunn had put January in place of starting point guard Tully Bevilaqua, against the WNBA MVP, Diana Taurasi, and the top seed in the playoffs.

"That's just the trust she has in me throughout the year. She's told how much she believes in me, and it gives me confidence that she has that confidence in me," January said of her coach.

Her rookie season in the WNBA has been a memorable one. She has played an important role in Indiana's surprising run to the championship series. She has averaged 9.2 points in the playoffs. And, apparently, the Fever have big plans for January.

"Sometimes in crunch time, in big games, she's in the game," said Dunn. "Her ability to penetrate, her ability to shoot the 3, her defensive intensity, she's really a multi-dimensional player. And we are very fortunate to have her because we think she is the future point guard for this team. Tully (Bevilaqua) is nearing retirement. Briann is just growing every game she plays to become a point guard of the future."

The Fever face the Mercury in Game 2 at 6 p.m. Thursday at US Airways Center.

January, the Fever's first-round draft pick and the sixth player chosen overall, averaged 6.9 points a game and hit 85 percent of her free throws this season. Although some in the Valley would have liked the Mercury to pick her at No. 5 - Phoenix took DeWanna Bonner from Auburn instead - January has fit in quite well with the Fever.

January was always the playmaker and spark for the Sun Devils, and she provides that off the bench to spell guards Bevilaqua and Katie Douglas.

Still, it was a bit surreal for January to be on women's basketball's greatest stage against two All-WNBA players.

"Cappie (Pondexter) and Diana (Taurasi) are two of the best players in the world," January said. "It's pretty tough. You watch them and sometimes you are just in awe of what they do. Of course, with the crowd in here behind them, there's a ton coming at you. But you have to stay level-headed and make them a little uncomfortable. Maybe they will miss a couple of their shots here and there, and you just gotta make it tough on them - that's all you can do with great players like that."

Said Mercury forward Penny Taylor, who schooled the rookie a couple of times on Tuesday night, "She's an exciting young player. She was playing with some confidence, really aggressive, attacking on the dribble. I was really impressed."