StingRays Exhaust Some Longshot Hopes

In the aftermath, as the doctor weaved six stitches into the cut on her forehead, Columbus forward Andrea Lloyd tried to apply some levity to a basketball game that was first a laugher, then a yawner.

“What happened was, I threw my head into Cass’ elbow--very reckless,” she quipped.

She referred to the elbow of 6-foot-4 Long Beach backup center Cass Bauer, which did more damage to the Quest than anything the StingRays could do with the basketball.

The StingRays, asked to play the best team in the ABL on less than 24 hours rest, expired minutes into the game, surrendering any longshot chance of sneaking past Portland and winning the Western Conference championship.

In a record-breaker, Columbus (35-8) won, 111-80, before 5,379 in Battelle Hall.

The Quest’s 111 points were the most in ABL history. The previous high was 107 points, which Columbus had shared with Philadelphia.

Long Beach (25-18) finishes its regular season Tuesday in Philadelphia, then begins a best-of-three playoff round with Colorado on Saturday at the Pond of Anaheim.

Columbus, with the league’s best record, earns a 10-day break, then meets the winner of the San Jose-New England series in a best-of-three semifinal. Portland, the No. 2-seeded team, meets the winner of the StingRay-Colorado series.

Long Beach had to play 40 hard minutes Saturday night to win in Atlanta, then flew that night to Columbus, arriving at its hotel at 1:15 a.m. Sunday. Game time was 4 p.m.

“We tried to run with them early, but we couldn’t,” said Yolanda Griffith afterward.

“We were tired--a lot of the little things got away from us.”

Such as frustration management. The StingRays spent much of their time arguing officials’ calls (Columbus shot 40 free throws, Long Beach 33), and were still steamed afterward.

“We’ll see Columbus in the championship series,” Griffith vowed.

“And when we get home-court advantage, and the officials let us play and call it both ways, we’ll have a chance. There, I said it--and I don’t care if I do get fined.”

The StingRays were winless in four games against the Quest, which looms as an overwhelming favorite to win a second ABL crown.

Columbus has won 16 of its last 17, 20 in a row at home and seems to play the game faster than any other team. And better.

Columbus, shooting 56% for the game, made 14 of its 15 first quarter shots and had a 34-11 lead after the period.

ABL Notes

Natalie Williams scored 22 points to lead the Portland Power (27-16) to a 75-70 victory over the San Jose Lasers (21-22) in San Jose before 4,550. . . . Carolyn Jones scored 29 points and the visiting New England Blizzard (24-20) beat the Philadelphia Rage (13-30), 84-67, before 3,735. The Blizzard used a 13-0 run in the first quarter to take a 28-8 lead, while making 13 of their first 18 shots. . . . Tari Phillips scored eight of her 11 points during Colorado’s 19-5 run in the fourth quarter as the Xplosion (20-23) beat the Seattle Reign (14-29), 73-59, before 5,554 at Denver.