CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Minutes after a convincing victory over
the New York Liberty, Charlotte guard Dawn Staley grabbed a
microphone and summed up what everyone else was thinking.
"Can you believe this?" she screamed. "The Charlotte Sting
are going to the playoffs! Who would have thunk it?"
No one would have earlier this season, when the Sting started
the year a league-worst 1-10.
But they've embarked on a miraculous midseason turnaround,
capping it with an 80-60 victory over the Liberty on Saturday night
for consecutive wins over the top two teams in the Eastern
Conference.
Charlotte, which beat division-leading Cleveland 55-53 on Friday
night, tied its franchise record with its sixth straight victory
and set a new mark with its seventh consecutive home win.
The Sting improved to 17-14 -- a WNBA record for the biggest
turnaround in a season.
The Sting, the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, face Cleveland in the
first round and first-year coach Anne Donovan said just making it
to the postseason isn't enough.
"When you start the season 1-10 there's not a danger of being
overconfident," Donovan said. "We've been at the lowest point,
we've been in the valley, and just getting into the playoffs as the
No. 4 seed is not our peak. We're looking to do some damage."
With their dominating win over New York, the No. 2 seed in the
East, Charlotte proved it just might have a chance to do that.
The Sting shot 51 percent, outrebounded the Liberty 31-23,
forced 13 turnovers and answered the few challenges New York made.
The Liberty, who trailed 39-28 early in the second half, cut it
to 47-41 with 14:03 to go. But Allison Feaster and Andrea Stinson
hit consecutive 3-pointers to put Charlotte back up 53-41 and New
York never got any closer.
"Charlotte is playing great basketball right now," said New
York coach Richie Adubato. "They have some great players who can
create their own shots, they have a strong inside game and play
great defense."
Stinson led Charlotte with 21 points, hitting four 3-pointers.
She brought the crowd to its feet and sent her teammates jumping
all over the floor when she scored her final basket _ a driving
layup in which she dribbled the ball behind her back to elude one
defender then pump-faked to elude another before tossing the ball
into the hoop.
Even some of the Liberty (20-11) players were impressed.
"Charlotte's an exciting team and they've moved themselves into
being one of the premier teams in the league," said New York
forward Sue Wicks. "They were able to take over the tempo late in
the first half and for all of the second half."
Shalonda Enis finished with a season-high 18 points and reserve
Summer Erb had her best game of the year with 13 points and left
the floor to a cascade of chants of her name from the crowd.
Tari Phillips scored 15 points for New York, and Teresa
Weatherspoon added 12. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
New York team page
Charlotte team page
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