StingRays Roll On Despite Rocky Play

After 44 regular-season and three playoff games, this much can be said with some certainty about the Long Beach StingRays:

They wear the ABL’s sharpest uniforms.

Any analysis beyond that is hopeless.

How well they play basketball depends on what day of the week it is.

The StingRays routed Colorado in the opener of a three-game playoff, 96-72; surrendered meekly in Denver, 88-68, then looked like world-beaters in a 92-61 rout Wednesday.

What’s going on here?

Coach Maura McHugh offered this Thursday: “I think this team doesn’t like practices. I think it would rather play games.”

Long Beach, 26-18 in the regular season, cranks it up again tonight, opening a best-of-three semifinal round against Western Conference champion Portland (27-17) at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim at 7:30.

Portland-Long Beach has been the ABL’s premier matchup this season. Portland won four of the seven games, with three going into overtime and three being decided by one or two points.

The series brings together the league’s two best post players, Long Beach’s 6-foot-4 Yolanda Griffith and Portland’s 6-1 Natalie Williams.

StingRay Notes

Yolanda Griffith was named the ABL defensive player of the year Thursday. Seattle’s Shalonda Enis was named rookie of the year. . . . Game 2 of the West semifinal will be played Sunday afternoon at Portland, Game 3, if necessary, Tuesday night. . . . The East semifinal, San Jose vs. Columbus, begins Saturday at Columbus.