SACRAMENTO, Calif, July 30 (Ticker) -- Ruthie Bolton matched a
season high with 21 points, including seven in the final 4 1/2
minutes, as the Sacramento Monarchs extended their season-high
winning streak to five games with a 74-65 victory over the
Indiana Fever.
Sacramento improved to 7-2 since All-Star forward Yolanda
Griffith returned to the lineup on July 11. However, the
Monarchs went 2-13 without Griffith and likely will miss the
playoffs.
Olympia Scott-Richardson made two free throws for Indiana with
5:22 remaining to forge a 63-63 tie. Bolton snapped the deadlock
with a 3-pointer with 4:26 to go that triggered 11 straight
points.
Griffith scored inside, Bolton added a layup and two free throws
and Kedra Holland-Corn made two free throws to cap the spurt.
The Fever's only basket in the final five minutes was a
meaningless layup in the final seconds by rookie Tamika
Catchings.
Indiana took its largest lead of the second half on a layup by
Catchings with 16:37 left for a 45-38 advantage. The Monarchs
fought back with a 17-6 run for a 55-51 advantage on a basket by
Griffith with 10:22 to play.
Griffith scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Ticha
Penichiero dished out 13 assists for Sacramento.
Catchings led all scorers with 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds
for Indiana, which held a 30-22 edge on the glass.
Scott-Richardson added 15 points, but the Fever fell two games
behind Orlando in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot
in the Eastern Conference.









