Monarchs Move Up Against Reeling Fire

Ruthie Bolton-Holifield scored 21 points as the Sacramento Monarchs handed the Portland Fire its ninth consecutive loss, 64-58, Sunday night before 8,582 at Portland, Ore.

Yolanda Griffith had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Monarchs, who won their third in a row and broke a five-game road losing streak while moving a half-game ahead of the Houston Comets for second place in the Western Conference.

Finishing second behind the first-place Sparks would earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Alisa Burras scored 18 for the Fire, who have been in a free fall since the All-Star break. Center Sylvia Crawley fouled out with 3:19 left. Crawley had only two points and five rebounds.

Lady Hardmon completed a three-point play with 3:27 left to tie the game at 53. After Crawley fouled out, the Monarchs took over.

Bolton-Holifield made an off-balance three-point shot with 2:04 left to give Sacramento the lead for good. She added a layup and Hardmon made a jumper as the Fire scored only one field goal--a layup by Burras--in the final 2:25.

Burras had 10 of her 14 points during a 4:28 stretch of the second half. She scored six straight points, but Bolton-Holifield scored five and Tangela Smith gave Sacramento its first lead of the half with 10:02 left, 42-41.

Tully Bevilaqua made a jumper and Burras had two consecutive fastbreak baskets and the Fire retook the lead.

DeMya Walker made a three-pointer with 6:38 left to give Portland a 50-43 lead.

Then, Sacramento made its run.

Minnesota 69, Utah 62--Betty Lennox scored a season-high 18 points, in only 22 minutes, and made two crucial three-pointers in the final two minutes to lead the Lynx (12-19) past the Starzz (18-13) before 10,489 at Minneapolis.

Natalie Williams led the Starzz with 18 points.

Washington 57, Cleveland 49--Nikki McCray scored all 18 of her points in the second half and Chamique Holdsclaw added 16 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Mystics (10-21) to a victory over the Rockers (22-9) before 17,531 at Washington.

Chasity Melvin had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockers, who have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs.

Indiana 83, Detroit 66--Rita Williams scored 20 points before 15,198 at Indianapolis to help the Fever (10-21) defeat the Shock (9-22) for its first season series sweep since joining the WNBA last year.

With one game to go, the Fever topped their expansion season total of nine victories. The Shock fell to 9-22, their worst record in four seasons in the league.

Indiana snapped a four-game losing streak.