Sparks Fall in Two Overtimes

Allison Feaster scored 20 points and made the tiebreaking three-point shot in double overtime to lift the Charlotte Sting over the Sparks, 68-63, Sunday in front of 5,612 at Charlotte, N.C.

In its last three games, the Sting has stopped San Antonio on a buzzer-beating shot, defeated Connecticut in overtime and surprised the Sparks in Charlotte’s first double-overtime game in three seasons.

After wasting a 13-point second-half lead, the Sting made two three-point shots to force both overtimes.

Nicole Powell, a former Stanford standout, made a 25-footer as time expired in regulation, and Tynesha Lewis sank an off-balance three-point shot with 0.4 seconds left to force the second overtime.

“This is one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been a part of since being in the WNBA,” said Feaster, who played for the Sparks in her first two seasons, 1998 and ’99. “The game could have gone either way.”

Spark Coach Michael Cooper said his team was outrebounded and “outhustled.” “We were very fortunate to put ourselves in a position to win,” he added.

Feaster helped unravel the Sparks’ efforts with her three-point shot from the right corner with 54 seconds left, which broke a 60-60 tie and gave the Sting the lead for good. On the ensuing possession, Charlotte’s Dawn Staley knocked the ball away from the Sparks’ Mwadi Mabika and made two free throws to preserve the Sting’s fourth consecutive victory.

Feaster also was a factor earlier in the second half when she made a three-point shot to cap an 11-0 run that gave Charlotte a 41-28 lead with 10:10 left. The Sparks, who started the game with a six-minute scoring drought, went more than seven minutes without a point during the run. Powell had 13 points, and Lewis scored 11 for Charlotte (6-5).

Lisa Leslie had 14 points and 20 rebounds, one shy of her career high, and Mabika scored 13 for the Sparks (7-5), who made only 31% of their shots and whose four-game winning streak ended. “I think Charlotte did a good job of executing their offense and slowing the game down,” Leslie said. “We fought hard to get back in the game, but then they showed they really wanted it.”

Connecticut 75, Washington 65 -- Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 19 points and eight rebounds at Uncasville, Conn., to help the Sun end a two-game losing streak.

Katie Douglas scored 18 points for Connecticut (5-7), which never trailed in front of 5,298.

Connecticut outscored the Mystics (4-6), 34-20, in the paint and finished with a 37-32 edge on the boards.

Chamique Holdsclaw led Washington with 20 points on four-of-10 shooting, getting 12 from the free-throw line.

The game featured two of the league’s top rookies in Connecticut’s Lindsay Whalen and Washington’s Alana Beard. Each played 31 minutes.

Whalen had nine points and five assists. Beard finished with five points, six rebounds and four assists.