Houston Comets Win Fourth WNBA Title
H O U S T O N, Aug. 26 -- Sheryl Swoopes scored 31 points and CynthiaCooper had 25 in her final game as the Houston Comets rallied tobeat the New York Liberty 79-73 in overtime today for theirfourth straight WNBA championship.
Swoopes, the league’s MVP and leading scorer this season, andthree-time scoring champion Cooper took charge of the game in thesecond half. They combined for 32 of the Comets’ final 36 points.
Cooper, who said she’d retire after the playoffs, hit a3-pointer with 21 seconds to play that tied the game at 64-64 andforced overtime. Swoopes’ 31 points set a career playoff high.
Tina Thompson had 11 points and eight rebounds, and her two freethrows with 27.6 seconds left gave the Comets a 75-70 lead.
Swoopes got the final two points for the Comets, and Coopergrabbed the final rebound and kept the ball as time ran out.
Liberty Force Overtime, Then Fall
The Liberty, who have lost the title to the Comets in three ofthe WNBA’s four seasons, overcame a nine-point deficit with 13:25to play to force overtime.
Tari Phillips led the Liberty with 17 of her 20 points in thesecond half, including a basket with 31 seconds left in regulationfor a 64-61 lead. Cooper’s 3-pointer then tied the game.
Tamika Whitmore added 15 points and Crystal Robinson had 13points. New York’s final lead came with 2:15 left in overtime.
The Comets overcame New York’s 19-6 first half run for a 27-25halftime lead. Houston went ahead 44-35 with 13:25 left, butPhillips helped the Liberty take a 49-48 lead with 6:20 to play.
After taking a 12-2 lead to start the game, the Comets lost thelead — and Swoopes — briefly in the first half.
New York hit only one of its first seven shots and had fourturnovers in the first 3:40 before going on a 19-6 run that gave itthe lead at 21-18 with 5:48 to play on a 3-pointer by CrystalRobinson, who had eight points in the run.
Seconds later, Swoopes crumpled to the floor after stepping onPhillips and twisting her left ankle.
Popular Reads
ABC News Live