Ajavon Fitting in Quickly With Mystics

In an instant, Matee Ajavon showed everyone in Verizon Center why the Washington Mystics were so excited to select her in the Houston Comets' dispersal draft. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half, she darted toward New York's Lisa Willis on defense and deftly swatted the ball away.

Before the Liberty or even her own teammates had an opportunity to react, Ajavon sped unopposed to the opposite basket for an easy layup. Ajavon led all scorers with 17 points and four steals in Washington's 74-56 win over New York in its preseason finale yesterday, and the 5-foot-8, 160-pound guard is quickly becoming emblematic of Coach Julie Plank's up-tempo system that relies on forcing turnovers.

"I've always been defense first," said Ajavon, who is in her second WNBA season. "I always try to keep my hands active, be aggressive and get that to build off for the offense, and that's exactly what the coaches have focused on. I came from a system [at Rutgers] where my coach stressed defense, and I really think I fit into this program."

The folding of the Comets this offseason presented the Mystics, and other non-playoff teams such as Atlanta and Chicago, a prime opportunity to add two players who could potentially have an immediate impact, through the dispersal and entry drafts.

By selecting Ajavon with the second pick in the Comets' dispersal draft, Washington added speed rarely seen before in a Mystics jersey. Ajavon zips around the court, pestering opponents into sloppy turnovers and forced decisions to gain possession, then creates space with her acceleration for quality scoring chances.

Plank has emphasized defense since her arrival in Washington but is equally keen on building a team that runs the floor the entire game. Ajavon's ability to get up and down the court likely makes her a key cog in the Mystics' plan for the season.

"She definitely is one of our most explosive players," Plank said. "She gets to the rim with the best of them. She's very good at pick and roll because she can attack that paint, and she's not afraid to take a big shot as well."

Drafted fifth overall in 2007 by Houston, Ajavon was disappointed to see the Comets fold but felt comfortable coming to Washington. She already knew Tasha Humphrey and fellow New Jersey native Crystal Langhorne; Ajavon and Langhorne ran in the same basketball circles in high school and were recruited by many of the same colleges but never played together before this season. Langhorne is glad to have the speedster on her side.

"I think having someone so fast makes a huge difference, especially if you want to be a great defensive team," Langhorne said. "To have someone like her, who gets her hands on everything and just really hustles is a huge advantage."

Mystics Notes: Monique Currie and Marissa Coleman were the only other players to score in double digits against the Liberty with 13 and 12, respectively. . . . Washington must trim its roster from 16 players to a final 11 by June 5. . . . The Mystics open the regular season at Connecticut on June 6.