Monarchs Avoid Ashes In Rise Over Phoenix

By Kecia Bailey: SPM CA Writer
Posted Friday, July 25, 2008

Rebekkah Brunson in action against the Phoenix Mercury. Photo by George Young.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Wins don’t need to be pretty to count, which is fortunate because the Monarchs didn’t play a pretty game Thursday afternoon. But they did dig in in the fourth quarter to erase a deficit and defeat the Phoenix Mercury 83-74 in front of a Camp Day crowd of 11,946. The victory extends the Monarchs' current win streak to six, one fewer than their franchise record for consecutive wins.

The game was a stark contrast to the up-tempo high-scoring contest between the two teams 12 days earlier, when the Monarchs put 105 points on the board to the Mercury's 97.

“We had to gut it out. This was a slugfest,” Monarchs guard Kara Lawson said.

It didn’t start out that way, though. The Monarchs came out quickly, building a 14-2 lead, and eventually closing the first quarter up eight on 8-19 shooting. Phoenix on the other hand struggled offensively, shooting 29 percent from the floor and 17 percent from the perimeter. By the end of the second quarter though, the teams' fortunes had changed. The Monarchs suddenly went cold, shooting only 25 percent from the floor, and the Mercury hit 44 percent to narrow the Monarchs' first-half lead to 40-35.

If the Monarchs second-quarter shooting display was cold, their shooting in the third could be classified as frigid – not only did they struggle finding the bottom of the net from the floor, shooting 4-20, they also went 3-12 from the free-throw line. Sacramento’s sub-arctic offense opened the door for the Mercury to tie the game for the first time at the 4:05 mark and take their first lead of the game about one minute later when Kelly Mazzante drained a 3. The Monarchs ended the quarter down 56-53.

Facing their largest deficit of the game very early in the fourth quarter, 61-57, the Monarchs gathered themselves to defend their home floor. Two baskets by center Adrian Williams-Strong, a steal by guard Scholanda Robinson – finished off on the other end as a Laura Harper layup, helped the Monarchs tie the game at 63. The Mercury’s Tangela Smith answered with a 3 to give Phoenix their final lead of the day as Sacramento answered back with a 12-5 run to help them pull away 75-68 . After a day of horrendous free-throw shooting, the Monarchs would successfully use the charity stripe to seal the win.

Rebekkah Brunson led Sacramento with 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Brunson, who continues to play through the pain of a partially torn meniscus and stress fracture, scored nine points and pulled down five second-half rebounds after nearly being scratched at halftime by the Monarchs medical staff.

“I can’t even tell you how this is happening, she is literally minute-to-minute," head coach Jenny Boucek said of Brunson. "She doesn’t even know from minute-to-minute if she’s going to be able to keep going. The mental toughness she is exhibiting to not be distracted or discouraged and just to play this way for her team – it’s just hard to put it into words, it’s just special.”

Of her decision to play in the second half, Brunson said, “If I can find a way to do anything to help contribute to a win, then I’m going to do it. If I feel like I’m going to be able to help the team, even if it isn’t anything spectacular, just the little things … I’m definitely going to try to push through.”

Other Monarchs in double figures were Kara Lawson with 15, Nicole Powell with 13 and Ticha Penicheiro with 10. Williams-Strong grabbed a game- and season-high 14 rebounds and Lawson dished out a game-high seven assists.

The Mercury, who now have dropped seven of their last ten games, tried to understand another bout of inconsistency.

“We eventually got the lead and were running the ball well, making easy transition points and making stops," Phoenix guard Cappie Pondexter said. "I don’t know what happened in the fourth quarter. We kind of got tired and they regained their balance, started hitting shots, making second-chance shots and everything just seemed to start going their way.”

Phoenix had three players in double figures. Pondexter netted a game-high 23 points and Diana Taurasi scored 17 points before fouling out with 31.6 to go in the game. Tangela Smith finished with 11.

The Monarchs (14-11) complete their pre-Olympic break schedule by hosting the Indiana Fever on Saturday, July 26th and then traveling to Seattle to play the Storm on Sunday the 27th. Phoenix (11-14) will return home to host the Storm on Friday, July 25th and the Fever on Sunday.

Notes:
Monarchs guard Chelsea Newton left the game with 2:26 to go in the third quarter with what was described as a left ankle sprain. Her status for Saturday 's game in unknown.

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