By Greg Beacham -- Associated Press
Published 6:19 pm PDT Sunday, September 3, 2006
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14316684p-15231594c.html
Yolanda Griffith scored 15 points, Nicole Powell had 14 and the Sacramento Monarchs rolled to the brink of their second straight championship with an 89-69 victory Sunday over the Detroit Shock in Game 3 of the WNBA finals. Erin Buescher and DeMya Walker had 11 points apiece for the Monarchs, who went ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five series with a near-flawless effort on both ends of the court.
Shaking off a fourth-quarter collapse in Game 2, Sacramento never trailed as eight Monarchs scored at least seven points. The defense forced 23 turnovers by the demoralized Shock, who couldn’t avoid their third straight blowout loss in Arco Arena.
Game 4 is Wednesday night at Arco, where the Monarchs have won 11 straight playoff games since 2001. They’ll have the opportunity to duplicate the raucous championship celebration after last season’s Game 4 against the Connecticut Sun.
Sacramento’s reserves led a decisive 14-3 run to close the third quarter, doubling the Monarchs’ lead to 22 points in 3 1/2 minutes. Buescher punctuated that surge with an awkward, shot-clock-beating 3-pointer that sent her running up the court with her arms spread wide in celebration.
Sacramento kept rolling in the fourth quarter against the demoralized Shock, who got 22 points from Deanna Nolan but precious little from the rest of their vaunted starting lineup.
The Monarchs’ depth and defense usually carry coach John Whisenant’s teams past clubs with more individual talent, and this series has been another prime example. The Monarchs led by 27 before coasting to this win - and Kara Lawson, who had 22 points in Game 1, was the only Sacramento player who didn’t score.
While Sacramento’s bench outscored Detroit’s reserves 42-17 in Game 3, the Monarchs’ defensive rotations and pressure held Swin Cash to eight points and limited star forward Cheryl Ford to 11 ineffectual points and eight rebounds.
Katie Smith, the WNBA veteran hoping for her first title with Detroit, managed just nine points and one rebound.
Walker scored 11 points and Griffith got eight in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the first half as the Monarchs took a 44-33 halftime lead. Nolan carried Detroit, scoring 16 of its 33 points while her teammates got several tongue-lashings from coach Bill Laimbeer - but the deficit steadily grew in the second half.
Sacramento struggled at times during the regular season of its first title defense, but hit the playoffs on a remarkable roll. The Monarchs won all four of their Western Conference playoff games, sweeping Los Angeles and league MVP Lisa Leslie to return to the finals. The Monarchs then easily won Game 1 in Detroit and took a lead into the fourth quarter of Game 2, edging close to a postseason of perfection - but Nolan and Smith rallied the Shock to a 10-point win that tied the series and could have swung the momentum.
Published 6:19 pm PDT Sunday, September 3, 2006
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/14316684p-15231594c.html
Yolanda Griffith scored 15 points, Nicole Powell had 14 and the Sacramento Monarchs rolled to the brink of their second straight championship with an 89-69 victory Sunday over the Detroit Shock in Game 3 of the WNBA finals. Erin Buescher and DeMya Walker had 11 points apiece for the Monarchs, who went ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five series with a near-flawless effort on both ends of the court.
Shaking off a fourth-quarter collapse in Game 2, Sacramento never trailed as eight Monarchs scored at least seven points. The defense forced 23 turnovers by the demoralized Shock, who couldn’t avoid their third straight blowout loss in Arco Arena.
Game 4 is Wednesday night at Arco, where the Monarchs have won 11 straight playoff games since 2001. They’ll have the opportunity to duplicate the raucous championship celebration after last season’s Game 4 against the Connecticut Sun.
Sacramento’s reserves led a decisive 14-3 run to close the third quarter, doubling the Monarchs’ lead to 22 points in 3 1/2 minutes. Buescher punctuated that surge with an awkward, shot-clock-beating 3-pointer that sent her running up the court with her arms spread wide in celebration.
Sacramento kept rolling in the fourth quarter against the demoralized Shock, who got 22 points from Deanna Nolan but precious little from the rest of their vaunted starting lineup.
The Monarchs’ depth and defense usually carry coach John Whisenant’s teams past clubs with more individual talent, and this series has been another prime example. The Monarchs led by 27 before coasting to this win - and Kara Lawson, who had 22 points in Game 1, was the only Sacramento player who didn’t score.
While Sacramento’s bench outscored Detroit’s reserves 42-17 in Game 3, the Monarchs’ defensive rotations and pressure held Swin Cash to eight points and limited star forward Cheryl Ford to 11 ineffectual points and eight rebounds.
Katie Smith, the WNBA veteran hoping for her first title with Detroit, managed just nine points and one rebound.
Walker scored 11 points and Griffith got eight in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the first half as the Monarchs took a 44-33 halftime lead. Nolan carried Detroit, scoring 16 of its 33 points while her teammates got several tongue-lashings from coach Bill Laimbeer - but the deficit steadily grew in the second half.
Sacramento struggled at times during the regular season of its first title defense, but hit the playoffs on a remarkable roll. The Monarchs won all four of their Western Conference playoff games, sweeping Los Angeles and league MVP Lisa Leslie to return to the finals. The Monarchs then easily won Game 1 in Detroit and took a lead into the fourth quarter of Game 2, edging close to a postseason of perfection - but Nolan and Smith rallied the Shock to a 10-point win that tied the series and could have swung the momentum.
