Phoenix Extends Atlanta’s Losing Streak

By James Bowman: SPM GA Writer
Posted Wednesday, July 2, 2008

ATLANTA, Ga. – This might be news to you, but ESPN2 got out of the sports business on Tuesday. They decided to show a horror movie instead.

With neither Katie Feenstra nor Cappie Pondexter dressing for the game, the visiting Phoenix Mercury defeated the Atlanta Dream 97-79 in front of a crowd of 9,795 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The game, Atlanta’s 16th-straight loss since opening day, was televised nationwide on ESPN2.

Three-point shots dominated the first quarter, with Atlanta’s leading scorer Betty Lennox raining down three 3s against visiting Phoenix. Contact was mostly absent in the running game each team wanted to play, and the points went up on the board quickly. Kasha Terry provided the physical presence that had been lacking in previous Dream games, and the first quarter ended with the score tied at 25-25.

“We’re just not getting it done”

It was Terry’s first game wearing an Atlanta uniform since she played for Georgia Tech. “Mostly that’s what I do,” said Terry, referring to her new role on the Dream. “I try to be aggressive, and add a little bit more energy that a regular post player would.”

However, Atlanta’s hot shooting hand went cold, and the Dream were only hitting 13.3 percent in the second quarter. Atlanta’s defense crumbled, and the Dream could only watch as the Mercury scored easy layups from point-blank range. Phoenix exploded for an 18-1 run that led to a 15-point Mercury lead.

The Mercury was Freddy Krueger without the hat. When Atlanta called its second full timeout in the half, they were already down by 24.

“The Dream like to run, but we run everyday -- that’s how we play,” Mercury head coach Corey Gaines said. “The games start off with the ‘You score, I score’ mentality, but we run this way all day, every game. I knew eventually they would drop off. They got tired.”

Of course, the victim always gets a second chance in horror movies, or at least a running start. Jennifer Lacy scored nine points – her first points of the game – in the third quarter, and would finish with 16 points and four rebounds. A relaxed Phoenix team began to give away fouls and Kasha Terry hustled under the basket. At one point, the Dream crept up to within 12, at 71-59, and by the end of the third they were down 75-60.

“When we started [Lacy], I though she was very nervous,“ Atlanta head coach Marynell Meadors said, commenting on Lacy facing her former teammates. “But I thought the third and fourth quarters, I thought she owned both quarters. She was really hustling.”

But the fast breaking Mercury would slash away any hopes of a victory. Phoenix went on a 13-0 run in the fourth, capped by rookie Yuko Oga’s driving layup. The Mercury outscored the Dream 24-1 on fast-break points alone.

“I thought we had a lot of fast breaks,” Meadors said, “but we didn’t finish our shots.”

Diana Taurasi would lead Phoenix with 28 points, two rebounds, and six assists. Kelly Mazzante and Le’coe Willingham each scored 14 points, and Tangela Smith contributed 17 points.

Betty Lennox had no answers for her team’s defensive woes. “We’re just not getting it done,” she said. “That’s speaking the truth. I mean, you can see it clearly out on the court. We’re not getting it done.“

Despite the loss, Atlanta had five players in double-figures: Lennox (18), Lacy (16), Young (15), Latta (13) and Terry (11). Terry’s 11 points and five rebounds were both career highs.

“I was really trying to focus on getting to know my teammates,” she said. “It’s difficult to learn a new system, but I know I will be able to adapt to it. I was trying to focus on staying in the game. I was trying to get as many rebounds as I could, and hopefully it will get a lot easier.”

The Atlanta Dream will play the visiting Houston Comets at Philips Arena on Thursday, July 3rd. As for the Phoenix Mercury, they have four days of rest before playing the visiting New York Liberty at the U. S. Airways Center on Saturday, July 5th.