Comets hold on late for close win

July 22, 2008 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Houston Comets News Release


HOUSTON (AP) - Tina Thompson had 19 points and seven rebounds as the Houston Comets rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat the Phoenix Mercury, 94-92, on Tuesday night. The win was Houston's first over Phoenix in seven games dating back to July 30, 2006. With two games remaining before the Olympic break, Houston (12-12) is a game behind fourth-place Sacramento in the Western Conference. Michelle Snow added 16 points and six rebounds for the Comets. Rookie reserve Matee Ajavon finished with 12 points, and Tamecka Dixon and Johnson each had 10. Diana Taurasi finished with a game-high 31 points, including 14-for-15 from the free-throw line, for Phoenix (11-13). Kelly Mazzante finished with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting on 3-pointers, Cappie Pondexter also scored 15, Le'Coe Willingham had 12 and Tangela Smith 11. Kelly Miller hit a driving lay-up with 2:03 left to cut the lead to three, but both teams missed chances. Taurasi missed a chance to tie as a 3-pointer rimmed out with 54 seconds left. On the other end, Roneeka Hodges' 3 missed everything with 34 seconds to go, and Smith pulled down the rebound for Phoenix. After a timeout, Pondexter threw up an off-balanced 3 from the left wing that missed, and Smith and Taurasi knocked it out of bounds fighting for the ball. Off the Houston inbounds, Willingham stole the ball and was fouled by Thompson. Willingham hit both free throws to cut the lead to one with 16 seconds left. Thompson made one free throw with 15 seconds to go to give Houston a 92-90 lead. Off the inbounds pass for Phoenix, Sancho Lyttle stole it and gave it to Shannon Johnson, who was fouled and made two free throws with 11 seconds left. Taurasi put back in a layup with 3 seconds left to cut the lead to two, but Houston was able to get the inbounds pass in and hold on for the win. Houston opened the fourth by outscoring Phoenix, 10-4, and took their first lead since the second quarter, 79-78, on a 3 by Thompson with 7:20 remaining in the quarter. The Comets used a 9-2 run to take a 91-86 lead with 2:19 remaining on Hodges' 3-pointer from the right corner. Ajavon gave Houston the lead 87-86 on a desperation 3 with 3:17 remaining. Phoenix tried to run away with the game in the third quarter opening up a 61-50 lead on two free throws by Willingham with 6:11 remaining in the quarter, and opening it back to 10, 67-57, on a Kelly Mazzante's 3-pointer with 3:35 left in the third. Houston answered with a 10-0 run capped by six straight points by Ajavon, including back-to-back lay-ups with 2:09 remaining. Taurasi scored 18 points in the first half to guide the Mercury to a 52-43 halftime lead.

Comets' Next Games:

July 24 at 8:30 p.m. CT vs. Detroit Shock (Reliant Arena) *ESPN2 broadcast

July 26 at 7:30 p.m. CT vs. Chicago Sky (Reliant Arena)

****Olympic Break****

August 28 at 9:00 p.m. CT at Seattle Storm (U.S. Airways Center)

Post-Game Quotes for Phoenix Mercury vs. Houston Comets - July 22, 2008, 7:30 p.m. CT at Reliant Arena

Houston Comets Head Coach Karleen Thompson

On Comets bench players

"Matee's game had been struggling and she really came off the bench tonight and gave us a spark. She did what she was supposed to do coming in and hitting key shots for us. But it was not our offense, it was everyone on defense. I have to give this win up to the effort, just total effort!"

On the play of Comets rookie guard Matee Ajavon off the bench

"We just needed some energy. The key for us is to just get out and run and Matee gives us that energy. We started settling for jumpers but when they play that zone they want you to settle for the outside shots. We needed something getting to the basket and Matee does that great."

Houston Comets guard Tamecka Dixon

On getting her stride back

"It is all right. Now I have a quadriceps pull but I feel like I did a good job of having a good rhythm in this game. We played hard and as a result we got the victory."

Houston Comets forward Tina Thompson

On her shot selection

"I did not even think about it. Even the shots that I missed, I thought they would go in anyway. There were no different thoughts because I thought they were going in all the time."

Houston Comets guard Matee Ajavon

On giving the team a spark

"When I came off the bench I was just trying to give the team a spark. I just wanted to come off the bench and help wherever I could."

Phoenix Mercury Head Coach Corey Gaines

On playing their best against Houston

"They're a good team."

On looking forward to the next game

"Can't wait."

On the Houston's strengths tonight

"Great rebounding team. Made big shots."

Phoenix Mercury forward Diana Taurasi

On Phoenix's strengths tonight

"We did some good things. In the fourth quarter, I think we got a little lackadaisical. All the credit to Houston, they played really well."

On the game

"Today, I wouldn't say anyone played particularly well on our team. We had a lot of opportunities, and we didn't play well. Houston got double figures from a lot of people. We just really couldn't maintain today."

Phoenix Mercury forward Le'coe Willingham

On the game

"I think the effort and the energy was there. Down the stretch a lot of little things didn't go our way. Some costly turnovers in the end, nothing forced, just turnovers we just basically threw away on our end. Those things cost us in the end."

On Houston's shooters

"Their shooters were pretty much heated up. People were contesting their shots and they were just knocking them down."



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 22, 2008


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