Sacramento, Calif. – Yolanda Griffith had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and the Sacramento Monarchs won their first championship with a 62-59 victory over the Connecticut Sun in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Tuesday night.
Ticha Penicheiro had six assists and made a free throw with 9.9 seconds left for the Monarchs, one of the WNBA’s original franchises. They lost in the Western Conference finals in three of the past four seasons, including a loss to Seattle last year – but with seven victories in eight playoff games this season, Sacramento finally won it all with flair and force.
Griffith was named Finals MVP, Nicole Powell scored 13 points and Rebekkah Brunson had 12 for the Monarchs, who made another big second-half rally and held off another late charge by the Sun.
Ashja Jones scored a playoff career-high 21 points, but Connecticut’s stars struggled in the biggest game of the season.
Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Nykesha Sales accounted for slightly less than half of the Sun’s points during the playoffs, but they combined for 20 points on 8-of-28 shooting in Game 4.
Griffith, a veteran power forward who never had won a championship, went 1-for-6 in the first half, but scored six quick points in the second half.
Sacramento jumped to a 55-45 lead with an 11-3 run midway through the second half, with only Jones keeping the Sun close.
Connecticut pulled to 57-56 with 2:57 to play. Griffith made a key deflection and hit two free throws with 1:44 left, but Katie Douglas hit a 3-pointer with 37 seconds left. Leading 61-59, the Monarchs ran down the clock and nearly turned over the ball before Penicheiro was fouled by McWilliams-Franklin with 9.9 seconds left. Penicheiro made 1-of-2 free throws, and Sales’ 3-point attempt didn’t make it to the basket in the final second before Sacramento inbounded the ball to end it.
