The Connecticut Sun may look strikingly different than the playoff contenders in years past. However, rookie Saniya Rivers, who scored her first basket off a steal , is a standout for her defensive abilities.

On Friday, Rivers contributed immensely to the Sun's first WNBA Commissioner Cup win with a series of blocks. She stifled the Atlanta Dream on two occasions.

The first came against Allisha Gray of the Dream as she was taking it to the hole with the left. But Rivers was at the right place at the right time and denied her the easy two points. Expand Tweet

Later on, Rivers emphatically denied a three-point attempt by Rhyne Howard with less than 30 seconds in the fourth quarter. Expand Tweet

The Sun defeated the Dream 84-76 and are now 2-6 on the year. Article Co

See Full Page