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A22 SPORTS
Thursday 10 OcTOber 2019
Sun force Game 5 in WNBA Finals with 90-86 win over Mystics

vantage with 2:22 left. Na- "I was a little looser today,
tasha Cloud made a layup so felt better. Hopefully
a few seconds later to get continue to progress and
the Mystics within one. But feel better Thursday," Delle
Washington didn't score Donne said. "They were
again. playing more aggressive
Aerial Powers, who led defensively. They weren't
Washington with 15 points, letting us sit outside and
missed an open 3-pointer shoot 3s."
in the corner with 27.5 sec- Having a chance to win
onds left that would have the title at home on Thurs-
put the Mystics ahead. day gave the Mystics some
"Both teams were making confidence.
big shots. We'd make a 3, "That's what we worked for
they'd answer with a 3," this whole season," Delle
Miller said. "Ultimately we Donne said. "Can't rely on
made a few more plays being home to get it done.
down the stretch. We got The way we came out and
to the line down the stretch. started the game dug us
Alyssa Thomas was best foul into a huge hole. They are
shooter in the game." a great team, and you give
Connecticut got the re- that type of lead to them,
bound and Jasmine Thom- makes thing difficult."
as sank two free throws with FIRST QUARTER PREDICTOR
Connecticut Sun's Natisha Hiedeman drives to the basket against Washington Mystics' Tianna 18.4 seconds left to make it Game 4 held to form for
Hawkins, rear, during the first half in Game 4 of basketball's WNBA Finals, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, in
Uncasville, Conn. a three-point game. this series, with the team
Associated Press After a timeout, Cloud that led after the first quar-
drove to the basket but ter coming away with the
By DOUG FEINBERG same page, we just move Connecticut blew a missed the shot and Alyssa victory. The Sun outscored
AP Basketball Writer in unison." 16-point halftime lead as Thomas corralled the re- Washington by 15 on Tues-
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) The title will be decided Washington used a huge bound and hit the first of day night.
— With the season on the Thursday night in Washing- third quarter to tie the two free throws to seal the The Mystics won the open-
line, Alyssa Thomas and the ton with a first-time cham- game at 68. The Mystics win. ing period of Game 1 by
Connecticut Sun turned up pion crowned. Thomas fell kept it going to start the "I think we also had a few 13 points. Connecticut was
their defense to stop the just short of the first triple- fourth, opening up a five- open shots we didn't hit," ahead by 12 in the second
Washington Mystics and double in Finals history. point lead. With their sea- Powers said. "The ball game and Washington by
force a decisive Game 5 of "We're having the time son on the line, the Sun re- movement wasn't there, 15 in Game 3. Each time,
the WNBA Finals. of our life right now," Sun sponded. we didn't hit shots. We the team that was trailing
Thomas had 17 points, 11 coach Curt Miller said. "You Jasmine Thomas hit a need to be better come in the period had 17 points.
assists and eight rebounds dream as a little kid being 3-pointer to put the Sun Thursday." FOUL SHOOTING DISPARITY
and the Sun held the Mys- in a deciding final game, ahead 84-81. The lead was Elena Delle Donne, who left Connecticut took 26 free
tics without a point over the a Game 7 or 5 to win a short-lived as Emma Mees- Game 2 with back spasms throws to only 13 by Wash-
final 2:10 to beat Washing- world championship. If you seman answered with a that an MRI later showed ington, with Delle Donne
ton 90-86 on Tuesday night. grew up a basketball fan, 3 from the wing to tie the resulted from a herniat- and Meesseman only
"It was just about being these are the moments you game again. ed disk, was able to play combining for three at-
together out there, being dreamed of." Shekinna Stricklen, the more Tuesday night than tempts. Mystics coach
on the same page, know- Jonquel Jones had 18 league's 3-point champion in Game 3, when she was Mike Thibault wasn't sure
ing the game plan and points and 13 rebounds to at the All-Star Game, then limited to 26 minutes. The why that was the case, es-
protecting home court," lead the Sun, who had five shook off a defender be- league MVP had 11 points pecially when the Sun only
Thomas said. "When we're players score in double fig- fore making another 3 to and five rebounds while committed one foul in the
all locked in and on the ures. give the Sun an 87-84 ad- playing 30 minutes. final quarter.q

Coco Gauff reaches 1st WTA quarterfinal in Linz

LINZ, Austria (AP) — Coco Gauff Karatancheva did it at 15 years draw in Linz as a "lucky loser" after through at Wimbledon this year
reached her first WTA quarterfinal and 153 days. losing in qualifying. She beat Ste- where she reached the fourth
when Kateryna Kozlova retired "It's a good accomplishment, fanie Voegele in straight sets in round, but had never won a tour-
during the third set of their sec- and hopefully I can continue to her opening match on Tuesday level match indoors before this
ond-round match at the Upper push that to the semifinals," Gauff at the indoor tournament. week.
Austria Ladies. said. "I guess that I'm used to be- "I just want to continue to use Top-seeded Kiki Bertens ad-
Gauff trailed by a set and a break ing the youngest to do a lot of these matches to improve. My vanced to the second round by
but was on the verge of a come- things, and I hope that I can con- dad told me he saw improve- beating Masaki Doi of Japan 6-4,
back when Kozlova retired with tinue to do that and enjoy my ments even since the U.S. Open," 7-5, while No. 8 Ekaterina Alexan-
the American teenager leading youth years, because as every- Gauff said. "Right now, it's all drova defeated Kristyna Pliskova
4-6, 6-4, 2-0. one tells me, it doesn't last long." about matches for me, and get- 3-6, 6-0, 6-1.
At 15 years and 214 days, Gauff Gauff is playing in her first tourna- ting more matches under my Bertens next faces Alison Van
became the youngest player ment since losing to Naomi Osa- belt, as much as possible. I feel Uytvanck of Belgium and would
to reach a WTA quarterfinal ka in the third round of the U.S. fresh and eager to do well." play Gauff in the quarterfinals if
since January 2005, when Sesil Open and only made the main Gauff had her major break- she advances.q