Dishin & Swishin 8/13/15 Podcast: Kelsey Bone steps up in a big way for the Sun

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The Connecticut Sun are not in the Eastern Conference playoffs as of today, but the franchise has a 12-10 record that would put them comfortably in third place in the Western Conference.

Last night, the Sun trailed by double figures before pouring it on in the second half to defeat the Tulsa, Shock 80-74. Alex Bentley led the Sun with 25 points, but the driving force in the second half push was the other All-Star on the Sun, center Kelsey Bone. She finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds.

The 6-4 center is a true low post, back-to-the-basket center, who patrols the paint on both ends of the court. The Sun disc jockey plays “Bad to the Bone” when appropriate, which is frequently, and the crowd roars. This is a year where the Sun was expected to contend for last place, not the playoffs, due to injuries and retirement. On a team loaded with youth, and short on vocal leaders, Bone is more than just another piece of the puzzle, she is a focal point both on and off the court for the team.

Kelsey Bone is a bit of a dichotomy. as big, if not bigger, than most centers in the league, she is not afraid to mix it up with the opposition. Earlier this year Bone served a suspension for an elbow in a scrum with Indiana’s Natalie Achonwa. She is ninth in the league in scoring, 11th in rebounding, and fourth in field goal percentage. Bone’s averages are up over six points and two rebounds per game from last season, while her shooting has gone from 45 percent to 53 percent.

Off the court, Bone is found on Twitter using the handle, @kelseybone3, but if you are searching for her, you better know your Golden Girls. No, not the Olympic teams of the past, the Golden Girls of television lore, because the tall Bone uses the alias Sophia PeTRILLheaux, the diminutive but outspoken oldest member of the fictional characters, who stood approximately 4-11.

Twitter is where you will see the “other” Kelsey Bone. She is the daughter of educators, and takes her position as a possible role model to children and that of a strong African-American woman very seriously. She is as likely to tweet thoughts like, “Never show fear… That’s when they think they own you…” as she prepares for that night’s game.

After the Sun defeated the Washington Mystics on Friday, August 7, 86-72, a game in which Bone had ten points and nine rebounds on 5-for-6 shooting, Dishin & Swishin sat down with Bone for some extended interview time.

It is a pleasure to provide that to you this week as a new Dishin & Swishin podcast. Will the Sun make the playoffs? Time will tell, but Kelsey Bone knows she needed to step up this season, and she is doing it in a big way.

Enjoy the podcast!