StingRays Limp Into Camp With Concerns

Dana Wilkerson, the point guard the Long Beach StingRays acquired in a trade with Philadelphia last week, showed up for the first day of training camp Wednesday at Long Beach State on crutches.

Wilkerson, who turned her left ankle in a Monday night pickup game, said she expected to miss about two weeks.

An All-American at Long Beach State eight years ago, Wilkerson is one of three players expected to play prominent roles for the ABL expansion club, and StingRay Coach Maura McHugh hasn’t seen any of them suited up yet.

No. 1 draft choice Yolanda Griffith and Olympian Venus Lacy are still at USA Basketball trials in Colorado Springs, where ABL officials are trying to shorten their stay there.

USA Basketball planned a trip to Brazil for those making the national team but ABL chief Gary Cavalli said he’s asked USA Basketball to grant waivers to ABL players, enabling them to join their teams Sept. 11, instead of Sept. 21, after the Brazil tournament.

“We want our players to compete in the World Championships next year and the Olympics in 2000, but keeping them out of their training camps this long dramatically affects the preparation period of our teams,” Cavalli said.