Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Cheryl Ford of the Detroit Shock earned WNBA All-Star game MVP honors while leading the East to a 103-99 win on Sunday.

Ford scored 16 points and hauled in 13 rebounds as the East claimed victory for the second straight year.

"It was a nice award for me, a nice achievement," Ford said of the MVP honors. "I didn't come in here expecting to win. I just came to play and show the fans a good time. But I won and, most importantly, our team won."

Tamika Catchings registered 15 points and 11 rebounds while DeLisha Milton-Jones and Deanna Nolan scored 11 points apiece for the winners.

The West trailed by 12 points with about two minutes to go before it made things interesting.

"Just like that, they came back," Catchings said. "They hit some 3s, got some steals, rebounds. They were hitting down the stretch and put that little pressure on us. We won and that's all that matters. That's what we were aiming for."

Tina Thompson scored 19 points, Lauren Jackson dropped in 14 and Diana Taurasi and Becky Hammon 13 each for the West.

"Just couldn't pull it out in the end," Jackson said. "It was a fun game, high scoring. If we made a few more 3s we probably would have won."

The West attempted a franchise-record 100 field goals and all-time marks in 3-pointers made (17) and attempted (46).

Thompson and Hammon hit 3-pointers to get within three with 47 seconds to go. Anna DeForge nailed a jumper with 39 second left to put East up by five and never looked back.

It was the closest All-Star game played since 2002, when West claimed an 82-76 triumph. The West had won six consecutive games before the East got a win a year ago.