The San Antonio Silver Stars relied on a balanced veteran core in 2011, with Sophia Young leading the scoring and rebounding while Becky Hammon directed the offense as the primary playmaker and added consistent perimeter scoring. Danielle Adams emerged as an efficient interior scorer, giving the team added frontcourt depth. Strong offensive efficiency and balanced scoring were key strengths, although inconsistent defense limited the team’s overall performance.
Operated as the offensive engine, dictating tempo and spacing while constantly creating advantages in pick-and-roll. Opposing coaches routinely keyed on her perimeter shooting, yet she remained San Antonio’s late-game organizer and primary decision-maker, pairing elite playmaking with efficient three-point shooting. (MySA)
WNBA All-Star (2011); WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week (2011)
Sophia Young-Malcolm
Starter/Star (1.1)
31.6
High (1.2)
13.2
6.4
2.3
2.5
64.42
Functioned as the club’s interior scorer and defensive tone-setter, thriving from the elbows and around the basket while regularly taking difficult frontcourt assignments. Coverage during the season highlighted her physical play and versatility as a foundation of San Antonio’s balanced attack. (heraldnet.com)
WNBA All-Star (2011)
Jia Perkins
Key Contributor (1.05)
25.1
Medium (1.1)
12.0
3.5
1.4
1.6
42.27
Filled the instant-offense role with aggressive shot creation off the bench or in spot starts. Her microwave scoring changed the rhythm of games, and San Antonio regularly leaned on her ability to stretch defenses despite streaky outside shooting. (MySA)
None
Danielle Adams
Key Contributor (1.05)
20.9
Medium (1.1)
12.4
4.3
0.6
1.2
42.15
Brought a unique scoring punch as a rookie post player whose strength and soft touch forced Dan Hughes to experiment with bigger lineups. Her offensive spark quickly earned trust and expanded responsibilities throughout the season. (MySA)
WNBA All-Star (2011); WNBA All-Rookie Team (2011); WNBA Rookie of the Month (June 2011)
Danielle Robinson
Key Contributor (1.05)
23.1
Medium (1.1)
8.2
2.3
3.9
0.9
35.08
Primarily changed games with speed rather than scoring, pushing the pace and applying ball pressure at the point of attack. Coaches trusted her defensive energy and transition play even while she adjusted to the professional game offensively.
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2011)
Ruth Riley
Starter/Star (1.1)
19.0
Low (1.0)
5.6
3.8
1.2
1.3
26.14
Served as the veteran anchor inside, providing positional defense, rim protection and screening that rarely showed up fully in the box score. Her experience stabilized a frontcourt that blended established veterans with rookie contributors.
None
Jayne Appel-Marinelli
Bench (1.0)
14.6
Low (1.0)
3.2
4.6
0.8
1.1
19.40
Worked as a reserve interior player focused on rebounding, physical screens and defensive positioning. Her minutes fluctuated, but she supplied dependable size whenever San Antonio wanted a more traditional frontcourt look.
None
Tully Bevilaqua
Starter/Star (1.1)
14.5
Low (1.0)
2.9
1.4
1.6
0.8
14.81
Filled a low-usage veteran guard role built around communication, ball movement and perimeter defense. Her leadership and willingness to accept complementary responsibilities gave the rotation additional stability. (The New Yorker)
None
Scholanda Dorrell
Key Contributor (1.05)
16.2
Low (1.0)
4.8
1.5
0.4
0.9
15.96
Used mainly as a defensive wing capable of guarding multiple perimeter matchups. Offensive opportunities were limited, but her value came from energy, hustle plays and rotational flexibility.
None
Roneeka Hodges
Bench (1.0)
9.8
Low (1.0)
3.9
1.3
0.5
0.3
12.00
Entered games to provide quick perimeter spacing, with most of her offense coming from catch-and-shoot opportunities beyond the arc. Her clearly defined specialist role kept possessions simple and efficient.
None
Porsha Phillips
Bench (1.0)
8.3
Low (1.0)
1.8
1.9
0.3
0.6
9.20
A developmental reserve whose minutes centered on rebounding and interior physicality. Contemporary coverage of her role was limited, with available reporting focusing largely on roster depth rather than individual performance.
None
Team Totals
—
—
—
83.9
34.9
20.8
14.0
—
2011 San Antonio Silver Stars regular season totals.
Worked as San Antonio’s most reliable interior option throughout the series, finishing efficiently around the basket while also creating offense from the high post. Playoff coverage consistently highlighted her composure against Minnesota’s physical frontcourt, even as the Silver Stars struggled to sustain scoring around her. (heraldnet.com)
WNBA All-Star (2011)
Becky Hammon
Starter/Star (1.1)
34.7
High (1.2)
16.3
2.7
4.3
2.4
67.16
Everything flowed through Hammon’s hands. Minnesota trapped her in key possessions, forcing difficult shots, yet she still created offense off high ball screens and remained the team’s primary late-clock playmaker. Game 1 coverage emphasized how she and Danielle Adams carried San Antonio offensively in a one-point loss. (heraldnet.com)
WNBA All-Star (2011)
Jia Perkins
Starter/Star (1.1)
33.7
High (1.2)
13.0
5.3
2.7
3.0
63.04
Perkins attacked aggressively from the wing instead of settling for jumpers, giving the offense a needed downhill element. Her defensive activity also stood out, and she frequently accepted difficult perimeter assignments while trying to ignite transition opportunities. (heraldnet.com)
None
Danielle Adams
Key Contributor (1.05)
23.0
Medium (1.1)
10.7
3.3
0.7
1.0
36.50
Used as an instant-offense reserve, Adams punished smaller defenders with her strength and soft touch in the paint. Even in limited minutes she forced Minnesota to adjust defensively, and playoff reporting regularly pointed to her scoring punch as a difference-maker off the bench. (heraldnet.com)
WNBA All-Star (2011); WNBA All-Rookie Team (2011)
Ruth Riley
Starter/Star (1.1)
18.7
Low (1.0)
4.0
4.3
3.0
1.6
28.38
Riley’s value came through positioning, passing and interior defense more than shot volume. She helped organize the half-court offense from the elbows while anchoring the back line against Minnesota’s post rotation.
None
Danielle Robinson
Starter/Star (1.1)
30.0
Medium (1.1)
5.3
3.0
2.3
1.7
28.07
Robinson’s speed remained central to San Antonio’s transition game, but Minnesota consistently walled off driving lanes and forced her into uncomfortable finishes. Even so, her ball pressure stayed important throughout the series.
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2011)
Tully Bevilaqua
Bench (1.0)
12.3
Low (1.0)
2.7
2.0
1.0
0.7
12.80
Entered to steady the second unit with disciplined ball movement and veteran defensive communication. Her role remained modest, focusing on spacing the floor and limiting mistakes rather than creating offense.
None
Roneeka Hodges
Bench (1.0)
5.0
Low (1.0)
3.0
0.0
2.0
0.0
10.00
Saw only brief action, primarily as a perimeter shooting option. Limited contemporary playoff coverage was available regarding her individual role, with attention centered on the regular rotation.
None
Jayne Appel-Marinelli
Bench (1.0)
8.0
Low (1.0)
0.0
0.7
0.3
0.7
3.40
Used sparingly as a reserve post whose responsibilities centered on screening, rebounding and physical defense. Limited independent playoff reporting discussed her contributions beyond rotational depth.
None
Porsha Phillips
Bench (1.0)
1.5
Low (1.0)
1.0
1.0
0.0
0.5
5.00
Appeared only in short stretches as emergency frontcourt depth. Independent playoff coverage was limited, with most reporting focusing on San Antonio’s core rotation instead of end-of-bench players.
None
Team Totals
—
—
—
72.7
30.0
23.3
14.9
—
2011 San Antonio Silver Stars playoff totals (per-game team totals from players listed).
