Comets on Verge of Another Title, Thanks to Cooper : WNBA finals: Her 29 points help Houston to 73-60 victory over Liberty.

By EARL GUSTKEY

Sept. 3, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK —

The game’s first play was its indicator play.

Cynthia Cooper, the WNBA’s premier scorer, took on the league’s premier defender, Teresa Weatherspoon.

Cooper won. It was a layup down the paint and she left Weatherspoon behind, which is where she left New York defenders Vickie Johnson, Sophia Witherspoon and Vickie Johnson at different points throughout the game.

Cooper won all night. She won on drives, three-pointers and assists.

And one more thing: championship composure.

She had 29 points, six assists, four steals, was 10 of 10 from the free-throw line and three of five on three-point shots, all performed with a poker face and with a relentless rhythm for which New York had no answer.

No surprise then, that she spurred the Houston Comets to a 73-60 victory over the Liberty Thursday night, gaining a chokehold on a third straight league championship.

There were 17,113 fans in Madison Square Garden, the first time a WNBA finals game did not sell out.

The best-of-three series moves to Houston for Game Two Saturday. It didn’t look at any time Thursday as if a third game will be necessary, but one is on the schedule for Sunday.

Cooper, who played 38 minutes, was at her best when the Comets needed her the most.

The moment came with 12:56 left, just after Witherspoon had made a three-point shot to bring New York to within 38-35 after the Liberty had trailed, 35-20.

The Garden spectators were on their feet, cheering, when Cooper sat them down and silenced them.

She made a three-pointer, then hit Sheryl Swoopes (15 points) with a great assist on a break. Swoopes, fouled, made the free throw.

Cooper then finished a drive with a soft left hook and a free throw, scored on an inbounds pass from Swoopes and added two free throws.

That pretty much closed the show. Houston was up, 51-41, with 8 1/2 minutes left.

Actually, New York Coach Richie Adubato closed the show with a postgame tirade against the officials, probably incurring an automatic fine.

“We got hit four times in a row when we were down three and got no calls,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. . . . If we’d gotten any calls at all, we could’ve gotten this game down to one, two points.

“When Tamika Whitmore goes up inside for a shot and can’t get her arms up, what is that? I just hope the league sends three good people to work in Houston.”

Adubato’s team was called for 18 fouls, Houston 13. The Comets made 23 of 29 free throws.

Liberty forward Sue Wicks summed it up best.

“I thought [Cooper] played a fantastic game,” she said. “I was disappointed she was able to get down the middle of the lane and up so many times.”

Said Comet Coach Van Chancellor: “When they got back in the game, I decided we wanted to get the ball into Cynthia’s hands. That’s great coaching, right?”

Around the WNBA

Each member of the All-WNBA first and second teams, announced Thursday, receives a Tiffany-designed trophy, plus $10,000 checks for first-teamers, $5,000 for second-teamers. First team: Guards Cynthia Cooper (Houston) and Ticha Penicheiro (Sacramento), center Yolanda Griffith (Sacramento) and forwards Natalie Williams (Utah) and Sheryl Swoopes (Houston). Second team: Guards Shannon Johnson (Orlando) and Teresa Weatherspoon (New York), center Lisa Leslie (Sparks) and forwards Tina Thompson (Houston) and Chamique Holdsclaw (Washington).

WNBA FINALS

HOUSTON

COMETS

vs.

NEW YORK

LIBERTY

Comets lead best-of-three series, 1-0

GAME ONE

HOUSTON73

NEW YORK60

GAME TWO

Saturday at Houston