Sparks-Silver Stars Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Jun 16 2012 12:06AM

The Silver Stars have had a week off to get ready for the Los Angeles Sparks. That preparation should serve them well for more than just one night.

Three of the Silver Stars' next four games are against the Sparks, beginning with a home game Saturday night when Los Angeles will be completing a back-to-back.

San Antonio (3-4) was busy last weekend, losing 60-57 in Atlanta on June 7 before an easy 80-67 win over struggling Seattle the following day. Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes challenged his reserves to step up in the second game of the back-to-back, and they responded by outscoring the starters 41-30. Danielle Adams finished with a team-best 13 points off the bench, while fellow reserves Shenise Johnson and Ziomara Morrison added 12 apiece.

"We always thought our bench could be a factor,'' Hughes said. "To see some of the young ones get some confidence is kind of exciting.''

Hughes, who called last Saturday's win the "best basketball game'' San Antonio has played this season, now hopes his team can come out sharp after the week-long layoff.

Fatigue could be a problem for the Sparks (7-2), whose five-game winning streak ended with a 92-59 loss in Atlanta on Friday. The lopsided score, however, allowed Los Angeles coach Carol Ross to rest some of her starters down the stretch with the outcome no longer in doubt.

Candace Parker, whose 20.1 scoring average ranked fifth in the WNBA before the game, finished with nine points and didn't play in the fourth quarter. The Sparks didn't have a player in double figures until Nneka Ogwumike scored her 11th point midway through the final period.

Ogwumike, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, finished with team highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles, which fell behind by as many as 17 in the first quarter.

"We need to come out with a lot of energy,'' Parker said. "We can't start the way we did because it trickles down the rest of the game. We need to stay aggressive.''

The Silver Stars, who have gone 3-1 against the Sparks each of the last two seasons, hope they can be the ones to set the tone in the early going at the AT&T Center, where they've won their two games this month by a combined 32 points.

"We just hope when L.A. comes in here we can start off as aggressive as possible," said San Antonio's Sophia Young, averaging team highs of 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Becky Hammon, second on the Silver Stars at 14.0 points per game, averaged 28.3 on 55.8 percent shooting in last season's three victories over the Sparks, but scored five while misfiring on 12 of 14 shots in the loss.

While all but one of San Antonio's remaining games this month come against Los Angeles, the Sparks have four other June games to play not involving the Silver Stars.

Young, Hammon lead Silver Stars past Sparks in OT

Posted Jun 17 2012 12:09AM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Sophia Young and Becky Hammon scored 24 points each to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 98-85 win in overtime against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday night.

Danielle Adams added 18 points and Jia Perkins had 10 for the Silver Stars (4-4). Young and Hammon combined for 11 points in the extra period as San Antonio outscored Los Angeles 15-2.

Young had eight rebounds, two assists and three steals and helped limit Los Angeles' Candace Parker to 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting.

``The leadership of Sophia Young was amazing,'' Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes said. ``Sophia Young played with an intensity that was infectious for us. I've benefited from watching a lot of Sophia's games, but that one really showed not only her offensive end but her defensive end. She was incredibly active and really led us in this situation.''

Alana Beard had 23 points to lead the Sparks (7-3), who shot just 1 for 9 in overtime and lost for the second straight night. Kristi Tolliver scored 16 points and Jantel Lavender added 10.

The Sparks closed regulation on a 15-7 run to tie the score at 83 and force overtime. Hammon missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

Los Angeles was playing its third game in four nights, and the physical toll of that schedule seemed apparent in the extra period overtime.

``I think that and a couple of other factors probably took a little wind out of our sails,'' Sparks coach Carol Ross said.

After calling only 15 fouls through three quarters despite a physical contest, the officials whistled for 16 in the final period - visibly frustrating the Sparks, who were assessed 15 more fouls than the Silver Stars. Los Angeles had three players foul out - Kristi Toliver near the midpoint of the fourth quarter and Beard and Parker in the final minute of overtime.

Tolliver's final foul drew protests from Los Angeles' bench, which claimed she only had five.

The fouls included a charge on Parker with 14 seconds remaining in the fourth after she passed to Lavender alone under the basket with the Sparks trailing 83-82.

Despite the foul trouble, Los Angeles rallied in the fourth quarter after trailing by 11 points in the first half.

Parker overcame a lethargic start to score 12 points in the second half. Her five-foot jumper with 24.9 seconds left was the Sparks' lone basket in overtime. She fouled out shortly after making that shot.

``That's what our game plan was - to try to contain Parker,'' Adams said. ``Me, Sophia and Jayne (Appel), we did an awesome job on Parker. We tried our best out there. We were just grateful to get the win.''

Parker's 12-foot jumper with 3:34 left in the third quarter gave the Sparks their first lead since her first basket gave them a 2-0 advantage 12 seconds into the game.

• Sparks: --
• Silver Stars: --

• Sparks: --
• Silver Stars: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #39 Michael Price, #34 Maj Forsberg, #38 Lamont Simpson
• Attendance: 8234
• Duration: 2:18