Win Moves StingRays Into First Place
Moments after a rousing 82-66 victory Sunday over the Seattle Reign, the StingRays’ Yolanda Griffith sat on her locker room stool and pondered this question:
“How does first place feel?”
“It’s cool,” she finally declared.
The StingRays’ second consecutive victory, achieved before 3,615, and the Portland Power’s loss at Atlanta put the StingRays (19-12) percentage points ahead of Portland (19-13) in the ABL’s Western Conference.
One more win--Long Beach plays at San Jose on Wednesday--before the week-long break for Sunday’s all-star game at Orlando, Fla., and StingRay all-stars, Griffith and Beverly Williams, will be joined by their coach, Maura McHugh, who would become Western Conference coach.
Griffth talked about the long haul to first place--and a new goal. She had said after Saturday’s victory over New England the team’s goal was first place by the all-star break.
“Now we have a new goal, staying in first place,” she said.
The StingRays have won seven of their last nine games. .
“We’re as sharp right now as we have been all season and I think the main reason is everyone knows their role,” McHugh said. The StingRays defeated a nine-woman team Sunday. Seattle’s leading scorer and rebounder, rookie Shalonda Enis, didn’t suit up after suffering a sprained knee Friday. Reserve point guard Kira Orr also was sidelined with a knee injury.
Seattle (9-22) led two minutes into the second quarter when Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil scored on a drive and a 15-foot jumper, and reserve guard Niesa Johnson scored inside for a 27-23 StingRay lead. By halftime, the score was 42-27.
Shooting 55% for the game, with many of the points coming on fast breaks, the StingRays had a 62-41 lead late in the third quarter before Seattle came back.
Kate Starbird made a three-point shot to bring the Reign within 66-56, but Johnson sank four free throws and set up Griffith for a fast-break layup to make it 72-56.
ABL Notes
Stacey Lovelace had a season-high 26 points for Atlanta in an 86-72 home-court victory over Portland before 3,601. . . . Dale Hodges scored six of her 23 points in overtime as New England was a 72-67 winner at San Jose before 4,228.