CLEVELAND ROCKERS The Rockers may have gained four solid athletes in the offseason, but they also lost a key component. Janice Braxton, one of the two original players assigned to Cleveland in 1997, announced her retirement this spring. Braxton average 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds last year. The Rockers leading scorer is Isabelle Fijalkowski, who averaged 13.7 points a game, but Cleveland's floor leader is guard Suzie McConnell Serio. In the 1999 draft, coach Linda Hill-MacDonald took the ABL's Chasity Melvin and Tracy Henderson to add depth to her frontline. The other draft picks -- Old Dominion's Mery Andrade and Tennessee's Kellie Jolly -- were both stars on the collegiate level. "Now the bar has been raised, and the players have been aware of that since bowing out to Phoenix last year," said Hill-MacDonald. While the Rockers may have finished first in the Eastern Conference in 1998, they face a vastly different set of teams this season. Namely, Charlotte, which added several big names to its roster, should contend for the conference title. SI for Women's bottom line: The Rockers didn't get the big-time scorer they needed in the draft, but this solid group of overachievers should still grab the third playoff spot in the East. ROSTER No.   0 34   44 13       25 10 4   6         Name Mery Andrade Quacy Barnes Rushia Brown Deborah Carter Michelle Edwards Isabelle Fijalkowski Tracy Henderson Jennifer Howard Kellie Jolly Merlakia Jones Tanja Kostic S. McConnell Serio Chastity Melvin Eva Nemcova Theresa Palmisano Cara Pearson Karen Wilkins Pos. F C F F G C C G G G F G C G F F F HT 6-1 6-5 6-2 6-1 5-9 6-5 6-3 5-6 5-7 5-9 6-2 5-5 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-1

SCHEDULE Jun. 10 -- at New York, 7:30 p.m. Jun. 12 -- Los Angeles, 7 p.m. Jun. 14 -- Detroit, 7 p.m. Jun. 17 -- at Sacramento, 10 p.m. Jun. 19 -- at Phoenix, 10 p.m. Jun. 22 -- Orlando, 7 p.m. Jun. 25 -- Charlotte, 7 p.m. Jun. 26 -- Washington, 7 p.m. Jun. 28 -- Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 1 -- at Houston, 8:30 p.m. Jul. 2 -- at Utah, 9 p.m. Jul. 5 -- at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Jul. 8 -- New York, 7 p.m. Jul. 7 -- at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 10 -- Charlotte, 7 p.m. Jul. 12 -- Minnesota, 7 p.m. Jul. 16 -- Sacramento, 8 p.m. Jul. 17 -- at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Jul. 21 -- at Washington, 12 p.m. Jul. 23 -- Detroit, 7 p.m. Jul. 24 -- Utah, 7 p.m. Jul. 29 -- Houston, 12 p.m. Jul. 31 -- at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 -- at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 -- at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 -- at Washington, 4 p.m. Aug. 7 -- Washington, 4 p.m. Aug. 12 -- at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14 -- Orlando, 7 p.m. Aug. 16 -- at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Aug. 19 -- at New York, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21 -- New York, 2 p.m. Coach: Linda Hill-MacDonald (third season with Cleveland) Top returning players: C Isabelle Fijalkowski (13.7 ppg), G Suzie McConnell Serio (6.4 apg) Key newcomers: C Chasity Melvin (ABL's Rage), F Mery Andrade (Old Dominion) 1998 record and finish: 20-10 and first in Eastern Arena: Gund Arena Average home attendance: 10,350 Colors: Black and blue