PHOENIX — The newly minted WNBA champions came home to a rousing welcome inthe desert Monday.

Several hundred fans greeted the Phoenix Mercury’s commercial flight at SkyHarbor International Airport. And when the team bus pulled into the bowels ofU.S. Airways Center, managing partner Robert Sarver, general manager Ann MeyersDrysdale and several Phoenix Suns staff were there to greet it, along with afour-piece mariachi band.

The receptions at the airport and the arena brought smiles to the wearyplayers, who clutched balloons and roses as they gathered their luggage.

“I don’t think it’s hit any of us what we’ve done,” said forward PennyTaylor, who led the Mercury with 30 points in the clincher. “I think at thatmoment you really realize how much people are counting on you and how much theyreally appreciated what we’ve been doing all year, and their expectations andthat we’d actually fulfilled those.”

The team will host a public celebration at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the CasinoArizona Pavilion on the arena’s street level. Players will speak and thechampionship trophy and banner will be unveiled.

After that, the Mercury will scatter for the offseason — and coach PaulWesthead may be gone for good.

Westhead, who has coached the Mercury for two years, is entertaining anoffer to join friend P.J. Carlesimo’s staff with the Seattle SuperSonics.

“I’m just going to see what’s going on,” Westhead said when asked if hehad a timetable for his decision. “It’ll probably be a few days.”

This is the second title for the 68-year-old Westhead, who also won the NBAchampionship as a rookie coach with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980.

Westhead, nicknamed the “Guru of Go,” shrugged when asked if he hadconvinced doubters that women could succeed in his fast-paced style, whichemphasizes 3-point shooting.

“We’ve been doing it for close to two years now,” Westhead said. “Thecriticism’s always (been) you can’t win big games, you can’t win championships.So we’ll just have to go faster.”

Taylor said she and her teammates hope Westhead will return.

“Obviously, it would be sad if he didn’t,” Taylor said. “He’s brought somuch. I mean, he’s the reason we’ve won this championship. He’s the reason wewere such a good team all year and why I had a good year.

“It would be terribly sad if he decided to move on, but if it’s the bestthing for him, then good luck to him and we’ll be happy for him,” Taylor said.