WNBA Recap: Last Second Shots Make Winners Out Of Seattle Storm, Connecticut Sun

Mon Jul 23 13:30:50 +0200 2007

West Palm Beach, FL (AHN) - Two WNBA games Sunday night, literally came down to last-second shot attempts that made all the difference between winning and losing.

The Seattle Storm were led to a 77-75 win on Sue Bird's jump shot while the Connecticut Sun won on Asjha Jones made a jump shot with just 2.9 seconds remaining.

Here is a closer look at each contest.

Storm 77 Liberty 75

At New York, Seattle Storm beat the New York Liberty as all-star point guard Sue Bird nailed a 3-pointer with only 10.6 seconds remaining in just her second game back from knee surgery earlier this month.

"The minute it left I knew it was good. It was right on line," said Bird.

A confident Bird said that, although she began the game ice-cold from the field, missed her first six shots - including four treys - she didn't worry about her shooting percentage.

"I know it's a cliche, but if you miss your last 10 [shots] you're going to make your next 10. You got to keep shooting. I'm glad I had the opportunity and I'm glad I made it."

The Storm were led by their other all-star and the league's leading scorer - Lauren Jackson - who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 17 rebounds.

Seattle, (12-11), also got 23 points from Iziane Castro Marques and ended their three-game losing streak.

"The plan was to get the ball to Izzy and draw the defense to get an open shot," Storm coach Anne Donovan said of the winning shot. "I think for the majority of the game Sue did not look super confident taking her shot. It was probably one reason why [the Liberty] went to a zone and stayed in the zone."

"The knee feels good," Bird said. "I am trying to get my conditioning back and get back in synch. I am getting my confidence back, not just in shooting but my overall game."

A trio of players, (Erin Thorn, Loree Moore and Janel McCarville), each scored 16 points for the Liberty (10-12), who lost their fourth consecutive game.

"If we didn't play hard, that would be frustrating," Liberty coach Pat Coyle said. "We put ourselves in a position to win. The lessons that we're learning now are going to pay off. I just hope they pay off soon."

Sun 81 Comets 79

The Connecticut Sun won its sixth consecutive game Sunday night, beating the Houston Comets 81-79 on a jump shot by Asjha Jones with 2.9 seconds left in regulation.

Katie Douglas led the Sun with 25 points while Jones added 22 points as Connecticut (12-11) moved past the .500 mark for the first time in six weeks.

"If I get the ball, I'm going to try to score," Jones said. "I'm not really thinking about offense, but my assignment."

Tina Thompson and Tamecka Dixon led the Comets, (7-16), in scoring, each tallying 18 points.

"We just made real big plays," Sun coach Mike Thibault said. "That last play that we made, I didn't have to call a timeout because I thought we had them on their heels. Katie makes a great pass to Asjha and Asjha [makes] a hard shot."

Douglas kept the Sun afloat, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter, including eight consecutive in one stretch to help the Sun go up 64-62.

The Comets responded with their own 9-0 run to go up 72-66.

However, Douglas answered the bell every time the Sun needed a big basket.

"Any time it's a tight game, you don't need a team making back-to-back 3-pointers with you not doing anything on the offensive end," Douglas said.

Connecticut's Kamesha Hairston did not dress for the game after suffering a concussion in Friday's matchup against the Seattle Storm.



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