StingRays Get Stung by Late Three-Point Shot in 87-85 Loss
It was an ugly shot, to be sure. Even the shooter, Shalonda Enis, conceded that.
But it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Seattle Reign.
There were 3.8 seconds remaining when Enis’ awkward, leaning three-point shot tumbled into the basket, giving Seattle an 87-85 victory over the Long Beach StingRays Sunday at the Pyramid before 3,638, by far the team’s biggest home crowd.
StingRay players were left stunned after Enis sank her winning shot and an ensuing free throw to complete a four-point play.
With 1:16 left, point guard Andrea Nagy made a layup that gave Long Beach an 83-76 lead, and the StingRay bench began celebrating.
Things were still looking up for the StingRays after Beverly Williams made two free throws with 18 seconds left to give Long Beach an 85-80 lead.
But with eight seconds left, Kate Starbird hit a three-point shot from the corner to make the score 85-83. Seattle got the ball right back when Nagy stepped on the baseline with 5.4 seconds left.
Seattle’s Kate Paye inbounded to Enis at the top of the key, and up she went. She made the shot despite being fouled by Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil.
Teased Seattle’s Val Whiting later: “All of Shalonda’s shots look like that.”
For that, she got a playful smack from Enis.
“I knew exactly how much time was left--I took one dribble and went up with it,” Enis said.
“I knew I was off-balance. I thought it would hit the front of the rim. I think I shot it with my eyes closed.”
Long Beach (6-5) has lost three in a row at home and three of its last four. If this keeps up, the StingRays could soon join Colorado, San Jose and Seattle (4-8), all with losing records in the ABL’s Western Conference, conceding the conference title to Portland (7-3).
Seattle, which lost, 83-75, at home to Long Beach 24 hours earlier, was aided greatly by early foul trouble for Yolanda Griffith, who played only 21 minutes.
Still, she finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Starbird had her most productive pro game, scoring 25.
“Having Yo [Griffith] out with foul trouble, that helped a lot,” Enis said. “You get her in foul trouble early, you got a shot against this team.”
“It just goes to show you that a basketball game isn’t over until that clock says zeros all the way across,” said Long Beach’s Williams.
Coach Maura McHugh, angry all game over the officiating, was still upset afterward.
“Every time Yo looked at someone, they called a foul,” she said.
Long Beach led early, 22-12, but Seattle came back with a 15-0 run to go up 27-22 early in the second quarter.
Other ABL Games
Columbus 94, Atlanta 91 (OT)--Tonya Edwards scored 26 points, including a crucial three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation at Atlanta to lead the Quest before 2,520.
New England 94, Philadelphia 74--Carolyn Jones scored eight of her 27 points in a 20-7 run in the third quarter, leading the streaking Blizzard over the Rage before 5,127 at Springfield, Mass.
Colorado 65, Portland 64--Crystal Robinson made a 12-foot jumper with seven seconds left and scored 11 of her team’s last 18 points to lift the Xplosion before 2,755 at Denver.