BEIJING — Sylvia Fowles never imagined as she practiced silky post moves on Liberty City's asphalt courts that she'd one day find herself halfway around the world at the Olympics, making headlines for the U.S. women's basketball team. The rookie 6-foot-6 center had another breakout performance in a 108-63 rout of China Monday night, coming off the bench to score 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
That came on the heels of a 16-point, 14-rebound night in the U.S. opener against Czech Republic. But of all her most recent achievements, the one that makes her happiest is that she convinced her mom to make the trek here. They are rooming together in the team hotel.
Arrittio Fowles, Sylvia's mother, rarely ventures far from Miami. She had never traveled abroad, so getting her to China was no small feat. First, there was the issue of the passport. She had lost her birth certificate, and the passport agency isn't forgiving about such things.
"She was about to give up, but I told her we had to keep trying because I really wanted her here,'' Fowles said. "She was a single mother who worked really hard to provide for us, and taught me to be humble and strong. She's not just my Mom, but my best friend. I was worried about her traveling all this way alone, though. I was sure she'd get lost and not make it through customs, but she did. I'm proud of her.''
Fowles would have loved to have had her four siblings here, too, but it was impossible. Two of her brothers, Jeremy and Walter, are truck drivers in Miami and couldn't get off work. Sister Dorothy ("But call her Toya, or she'll kill me,'' Fowles said, giggling) couldn't leave behind her kids. And her brother Morris is at the South Bay Correctional Facility, serving a 25-year sentence for murder.
She has been keeping in touch with all of them, and her nieces and nephews, via Skype on her laptop.
"I spoke to Morris from jail just yesterday,'' Fowles said after the win over China. "He told me how proud he is of me. He reads in the papers that I give him props for helping teach me the game, and he really appreciates that. He had a lot to do with me getting to this point.''
Fowles said her mother is having a great time. She went shopping Monday at the Pearl Market, and joined some other team mothers for a manicure and pedicure. Monday night, she was in the stands at the Olympic Basketball Gymnasium – along with Kobe Bryant and a few other men's players – to see the defending champion Americans take on the host Chinese.
Though there were hundreds of empty seats, there was energy in the building thanks to the unfailing cheerfulness of the Chinese. Even when China was down by 45, the fans roared if their player made a basket. When the U.S. went on a 23-0 run, the crowd stuck behind its beloved team. "They cheer so hard that every now and then we had to turn around and check the score,'' U.S. center Lisa Leslie said.
The crowd also clapped wildly when the song, "If You're Happy and You Know It,'' blasted through the loudspeakers. Never mind that their team was down 73-40 at the time. They were equally responsive to the Beijing Dream Dancers, an NBA-style dance troupe complete with midriff-baring tops and waist-length hair that swings from side to side with every shake of the hips.
China's team didn't give its fans much to celebrate, however. The U.S. took an early 33-11 lead in the first quarter, and never looked back. Tina Thompson led all scorers with 27 points, and was one of four players in double figures. Fowles, a 22-year-old WNBA rookie with the Chicago Sky, grabbed eight rebounds to go with her 18 points.
The U.S. frontcourt combined for 75 points, and Fowles was particularly impressive.
"Sylvia is incredible,'' said teammate Diana Taurasi. "You can talk about her physical attributes, her amazing footwork, but the thing that really makes her special is she is such a great person, so willing to take criticism and learn, and a lot of people as good as she is don't want to hear advice. That's why I believe she'll be one of the best centers to ever play for the United States. She has open ears, and that's going to make her unstoppable.''
Leslie, who is Fowles' idol-turned-teammate, continues to mentor the 22-year-old who attended Miami Edison and Gulliver Prep and starred at LSU. Leslie is a four-time Olympian, and Fowles said she is trying to soak up everything Leslie tells her. Leslie has been effusive in her praise of Fowles. Every time she leaves the game and is being replaced by Fowles, she says to her: "Hey, D.J., keep the party rolling.''
The U.S. women's team, which is as much of a Dream Team as the men's team, has won five Olympic gold medals, is 26-0 at the Olympics since the 1992 bronze-medal game, and has gone 42-3 in its past seven Olympics. Players are determined to win gold medal No. 6. Fowles has promised Leslie she will help keep the party rolling. And Arrittio Fowles will be here to help celebrate.