SAN ANTONIO — Sophia Young scored 27 points to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to an 86-81 overtime victory over the Sacramento Monarchs on Monday in the decisive Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
San Antonio advanced to the Western Conference finals for the second straight year. The Silver Stars play on the road Thursday against the winner of the Los Angeles-Seattle series, which is tied 1-1 with Game 3 tonight.
The Monarchs forced overtime when they rallied from a 12-point deficit with six minutes left in regulation. Nicole Powell tied it with 8.5 seconds left on a tough drive past Erin Buescher.
Former Colorado State star Becky Hammon missed an off- balanceshot in the lane that could have won it for the Silver Stars, but San Antonio made 15-of-16 free throws in overtime to put away Sacramento. Hammon went 9-of-9 from the free-throw line but made only 2-of-8 field-goal attempts to finish with 14 points.
“Offensively, the ball was not always dropping like we would hope, but Sophia put us on her back and really carried this team tonight,” Hammon said. “It probably hurts. She’s going to need a rubdown later.”
Liberty 66, Sun 62
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Rookie Essence Carson scored 15 points and New York advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
Shameka Christon had 13 points and Janel McCarville added 12 points and seven rebounds to help the Liberty win a postseason series for the first time since 2004.
The Liberty will play Detroit or Indiana in the opener of the conference finals Thursday. That series is tied with Game 3 tonight.
Mystics fire GM Hargrove
WASHINGTON — Mystics general manager Linda Hargrove was fired after a 10-24 season that ended with a nine-game skid.
The Associated Press
