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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Merlakia Jones hit a jumper with
six-tenths of a second remaining in overtime to lift the
Cleveland Rockers to a 74-72 victory over the red-hot Orlando
Miracle. |  | | Cleveland guard Tricia Bader, left, battles for the ball in the Rockers' victory Wednesday. |
After Orlando's Taj McWilliams made two free throws to tie it
with 14.7 seconds left, Jones took a pass on the baseline and
drilled a 10-foot jumper for the go-ahead basket.
"I just told my teammates I want the ball in my hand," Jones said. "If I miss it,
it'll be on me."
Cleveland had a 71-68 lead with 42.8 seconds remaining in the
extra period, but two free throws by McWillams with 27.4 seconds
left cut the deficit to one. The Rockers went ahead by two less
than a second later after Jones made 1-of-2 free throws.
The Miracle had a last chance to tie, but Adrienne Johnson's
attempt at the buzzer hit the front of the rim as Orlando had
its franchise-record six-game winning streak snapped.
"Merlakia Jones made one heck of a shot," Orlando coach Carolyn
Peck said. "It was almost like deja vu with Eva Nemcova hitting
it the last time we were here. You play great defense as best
you can and sometimes the ball falls the other team's way."
Cleveland had a 71-68 lead with 42.8 seconds remaining in the
extra period, but two free throws by McWillams with 27.4 seconds
left cut the deficit to one. The Rockers went ahead by two less
than a second later after Jones made 1-of-2 free throws.
The Rockers have won four in a row at home and are 8-2 at Gund
Arena this season, including a 83-79 overtime victory over the
Miracle on June 7. It is Cleveland's longest home winning
streak since a club-record seven-game run in 1998.
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
RECAPS
Detroit 61
Seattle 56
Cleveland 74
Orlando 72
Indiana 81
Washington 58
New York 84
Charlotte 70
Houston 77
Sacramento 62
Utah 76
Portland 67
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Cleveland's Merlakia Jones hits the game-winning jumper.
avi: 671 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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