Liberty Feels the Sting of Losing

In a game befitting of what the Sting went through this season, Charlotte overcame a start so bad that words like horrible and dreadful didn’t do it justice.

Allison Feaster made two late three-point shots, Dawn Staley led her team back from its woeful first few minutes and the Sting--who lost 10 of their first 11 games before turning their season around--defeated the New York Liberty, 48-44, Monday night to advance to the WNBA finals.

“We were 1-10, but we weren’t a 1-10 team,” Staley said. “I’m glad everyone got to see us play like an Eastern Conference championship team.”

In the lowest scoring playoff game in league history, the Sting won despite shooting 19 percent in the first half, getting little from Game 2 star Andrea Stinson and going the first seven minutes of the game without scoring a single point.

They became the first team in six tries to defeat the Liberty on their home court in an elimination game and denied New York its fourth trip to the finals in five years.

The Sting will open the best-of-three finals at home Thursday night against the Sparks. “I don’t think we’ve made believers out of anybody yet,” Staley said.

Feaster made a three-point shot with 2:54 left to give the Sting the lead for good, then made another 49 seconds later for a 46-42 lead with 2:05 left.

Tari Phillips missed two free throws for New York with 1:09 left, but Teresa Weatherspoon sneaked in from behind to grab the offensive rebound and feed Sue Wicks for a layup.

After Crystal Robinson stole a reckless pass by Staley, the Liberty had the ball with 33 seconds left and a chance to tie or go ahead. But New York failed to convert on three attempts.