McCoughtry Goes Off, Bonner Steps Up in 2016 WNBA Playoffs 1st Round
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#8 Phoenix Mercury 89
#5 Indiana Fever 78
Tamika Catchings and the entire Indiana Fever team knelt with their arms linked during the playing of the national anthem. Two members of the Phoenix Mercury, Kelsey Bone and Mistie Bass, also took a knee.
''This game of basketball is important for a lot of reasons. One of them is bringing people together. Even uniting people,'' Catchings said. ''We thought it was important to have a voice about something greater than basketball.''
Head Coach Stephanie White added, “This is bigger than just basketball” during a team huddle. WNBA President Lisa Borders, in Atlanta for the playoff game between the Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm backed the players choice to take a knee. ''I support our players expressing their views on important social issues,'' Borders said in a statement.
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Late in the fourth quarter, the Fever capped a 10-1 run when Erlana Larkins made a putback layup to bring the deficit to three, 77-74 with under three minutes left. DeWanna Bonner scored 11 of her 18 points in the fourth after going 2 of 5 from the floor in the first half. Phoenix would answer with a 6-1 run with less than 90 seconds left to pull off the upset. Brittney Griner added 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks for Phoenix.
Catchings left the floor at the final buzzer to a standing ovation from the Indiana crowd as she hugged every teammate, you could see the emotion building. Phoenix players also lined up to hug the 15-year WNBA veteran.
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Only fitting as Catchings received the 2016 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award prior to the start of the game. She is the first three-time winner since the award's inception in 1997.
The Phoenix Mercury will play the #3 New York Liberty on Saturday
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#7 Seattle Storm 85
#6 Atlanta Dream 94
Angel McCoughtry, the leading scorer since the Olympic break, notched 37 points and Bria Holmes added 21 points in a 94-85 win over the Seattle Storm.
Atlanta playing without Tiffany Hayes, who was serving a one game suspension for picking up her seventh technical foul and Sancho Lyttle, out with an injury did not miss a beat.
Elizabeth Williams, honored before the game as the leagues Most Improved Player scored nine points and brought down 16 rebounds. Layshia Clarendon, in for Hayes, notched 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
McCoughtry scored seven straight points to cap Atlanta's 19-5 run to start the fourth for an 85-71 lead. The Dream would hold off a Storm run late and win 94-85
Jewell Loyd scored 24 points and Stewart added 19 points in their first career playoff games for Seattle. Stewart had 15 points in the first half and Loyd scored 12 as Seattle held a 45-37 halftime lead.
The Dream will go on to play the #4 Chicago Sky in a single elimination game on Sunday.