StingRays Blow Out Glory

When the American Basketball League started 15 months ago, CEO Gary Cavalli said his objective was to see “every game go to triple overtime.”

They haven’t been that close, of course. But for the most part ABL games go down to the wire. So Tuesday night’s 106-78 Long Beach StingRay blowout of the Atlanta Glory was an aberration.

It was a night for StingRay subs to strut their stuff before a Pyramid crowd announced as 1,007 but really about 800.

One, 6-foot-4 backup center Cass Bauer, came off the bench for a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds, with starter Venus Lacy taking most of the night off.

Bauer, responding afterward to a needle that she was starting a late drive for the Jan. 18 All-Star game, credited teammates.

“My teammates showed a lot of confidence in me tonight and made me feel relaxed,” she said.

“Also, my defense has come around and when I play good defense, my offense picked up.”

Ten players scored for Long Beach, including little-used Jenni Ruff, who had 13 points--including three three-point baskets--in 16 minutes. Reserve guard Dana Wilkerson had six points and four assists. Trisha Stafford had 12 points in 19 minutes.

“Everyone played well,” Long Beach Coach Maura McHugh said, “and I liked giving our bench a lot of minutes.”

The StingRays (17-11), who play at San Jose tonight, have won five of their last six, nine of their last 12.

Atlanta (11-17) came to Long Beach with one starter out because of a knee injury, Olympian Katrina McClain, and left with another on crutches.

Long Beach was already piling up a fat margin in the first half when forward Tracy Henderson, untouched, crumpled to the floor because of a sprained knee and had to be carried off the court.

ABL Notes

StingRay officials think they have a shot at a 6,000-plus crowd at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim for the Saturday game against New England. . . . In another ABL game, Val Whiting scored 25 points as the Seattle Reign defeated New England, 82-68, before 3,092 at Seattle.