Star of the Game
Becky Hammon	30 POINTS
	5 ASSISTS
	10-10 FTs

NEW YORK (AP) Former Liberty star Becky Hammon scored 23 of her season-high 30 points in the second half to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to an 82-76 victory at New York on Tuesday night.

Sophia Young had 15 points and Erin Buescher added 13 for San Antonio (22-10), which won for the fifth time in six games and took over sole possession of first place in the Western Conference - one-half game ahead of Seattle, which played at Sacramento later Tuesday.

Shameka Christon and Jessica Davenport scored 15 points each for New York (18-13), which fell 1 1/2 games behind second-place Detroit in the East.

Two more former Liberty stars - Vickie Johnson, New York's career scoring leader, and Ann Wauters - also came up big on their former court. Wauters had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Johnson also scored 11.

Hammon, who spent eight seasons with the Liberty before being traded to San Antonio on draft day last year, had 13 points in the third quarter and then eight points on free throws in the final 1:12 to help the Silver Stars hold on.

Carson's 3-pointer gave the Liberty their last lead, 47-44 with 5:49 left in the third quarter.

San Antonio then went on a 12-2 run, taking the lead for good on Johnson's layup with 5:09 to go in the period. Hammon's 3 pushed the lead to 56-49 with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

Davenport hit two free throws to pull New York to 62-59 with 7:08 left in the fourth quarter, but that was as close as the Liberty got.

Erin Buescher hit two free throws for the Silver Stars, Wauters blocked Thorn's layup and Johnson made a fastbreak layup at the other end to push San Antonio's lead to seven with 5 1/2 minutes left.

Neither team led by more than five points in the first half, which ended tied at 35-35.