July 10, 2997 - Mystics ‘Playing Like An
All-Star’ Team
Having won five of their
last seven games, the Mystics are playing like an All-Star team as they defeated the Minnesota Lynx in overtime at the Verizon Center – 91-83.
A superb display of hustle and scoring put the Mystics ahead early in the game
with a 15-6 lead. Although the game would tie at least three times throughout
the evening, it was teamwork that would keep the Lynx at bay in the end.
Nakia Sanford led the scoring
frenzy with 25 points, followed by 13 points and 4 assists by Alana Beard.
Says Beard, the three-time All-Star
nominee; ”The team is playing with such confidence and continuity right now.”
“We’re very optimistic about the team going forward.”
Says assistant coach Marynell
Meadors, “It was an ugly win. But all in all we played really hard. Our
tussle was tremendous the whole game. I was really proud of some of the defensive things we did.”
Commenting on the game’s
overtime, she said, “I thought that with that 11 or 12 point lead, we were rolling but we kind of relaxed a bit and
let them come back. They’ve got some great shooters.”
Adding, “We’re really
sorry about what happened to Lindsey Harding and hope she’s going to be OK. I
thought that was what hurt them.”
The Lynx’s guard, and first
overall pick in the WNBA Draft, went down hard in a collision with Mystics Nakia Sanford in the third quarter causing a knee
sprain for the Minnesota player.
Despite the mishap, the Lynx’s
Amber Jacobs says she is “Proud of her teammates' hard work'; adding, "It was a very physical and tough game.”
“Next time we have to do
a better job finishing the game, and not let the game go into overtime”, said Jacobs.
The July 10th game
was the first match-up between the two teams this season. Their next meeting will be July 20th in Minnesota at
Target Center with a special half-time performance by Keke Palmer (Akeela And The Bee).
The
Lynx, (7-13) have loss their last five games, a record our home team Mystics know a bit about having put a slow season start
to rest.
The Mystics team has made tremendous
strides and are now 6-13 placing them sixth in League standings.
Mystics Nikki Blue says
of the win; “We definitely wanted to get a win before All-Star break. Now
we can go home feeling relaxed, feeling confident and hopefully come back and make that Playoff push.”
Nikki attributes the hustling
of teammates Nakia Sanford and Alana Beard with the team’s victory.
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Mystics Notes
Center Gillian Goring, out with a back strain, is recovering well and is expected to return to play action following the All-Star break.
DeLisha Milton-Jones is now closer to making her 3,000th career point. Having added twelve
points in last night’s game she is less than fifteen points away.
Alana Beard and DeLisha Milton-Jones make All-Star team.
Dr. Condoleezza Rice To Be Presented
With 2007 WNBA Inspiration Award at WNBA’s Inspiring Women Luncheon
The WNBA All-Star game is Sunday, July 15th at 3:30 p.m.
