Page 21 - atoday

SPORTS A21
Tuesday 6 October 2015

Gritty Fever top Lynx 75-69 in Game 1 of WNBA Finals

going in the second quar- cit was nothing for them.
ter to spark the Lynx. She January scored seven
scored on a finger roll, a straight Indiana points,
steal and a pretty hesita- Catchings got on the
tion drive to the basket and board after an 0-for-4 start
also set a great screen to andErlana Larkins beat the
free up Fowles for another buzzer with a layup to give
layup that gave them a 26- Indiana a 35-29 lead at the
21 lead in the second quar- break.
ter. ‘’Now we’ve got a game
The Fever were down 18 in under our belt,’’ Moore
a game against New York said of adjusting to Indi-
in the Eastern Conference ana’s hard-nosed defense.
finals before roaring back ‘’Hopefully we’ll be better
to win, so a five-point defi- having experienced it.’’q

In this Oct. 4, 2015, photo, Minnesota Lynx’s Seimone Augustus, right, drives around Indiana
Fever’s Briann January in the second half in Game 1 of the WNBA basketball finals in inneapolis.

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI do the little things at key ‘’I challenged Bri to lead
AP Basketball Writer times.’’ this team,’’ Catchings said.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A Game 2 in the best-of-five ‘’To lead us on the defen-
trend has developed series is Tuesday night in sive end, to lead us on the
over the last five years in Minneapolis. offensive end. When she
the WNBA playoffs: No Veteran Tamika Catch- plays the way she knows
one beats the Minnesota ings had 12 points, six re- how to play defensively,
Lynx at home. bounds and four assists for she gets under people’s
Briann January had 19 the Fever, who never got skin so bad. It’s fun to
points and six assists and rattled by Minnesota’s bois- watch.’’
the Fever stole home-court terous home crowd. They January added another
advantage in the WNBA outscored Minnesota 22-12 pull-up jumper before foul-
Finals with a 75-69 victory in second-chance points. ing out with 1:12 to play,
over the Minnesota Lynx in The Lynx were 19-2 at Tar- and the Fever closed out
Game 1 on Sunday. get Center in their playoff another gutsy road victory.
Marissa Coleman added history, the best winning ‘’We heard the fans go-
16 points and the Fever hit percentage in the WNBA. ing, everything was loud,’’
all 16 of their free throws The last time they had lost January said. ‘’They were
in a rematch of the 2012 at home in the playoffs was going on a run, but we just
finals. Indiana won Game against the Fever in 2012. came together and stayed
1 of that series as well en This one followed a similar united in those moments.’’
route to the franchise’s script, with the determined Seimone Augustus had a
only championship. and gritty Fever absorbing quiet nine points on 3-for-
‘’We just believe in one several haymakers from 11 shooting and Lindsay
another,’’ Fever coach the Lynx and pushing back Whalen only attempted
Stephanie White said. ‘’We each time. three shots for Minnesota.
trust one another and we January - the tough-as- The Lynx are playing in their
understand that no mat- nails daughter of a karate fourth finals in the last five
ter what happens through instructor who has a black years. They have won two
the course of a game, if belt herself - led the way. championships, but were
we come together we’re She knocked down two stunned by the Fever in
going to put ourselves in a tough jumpers late in the 2012, a loss that ultimately
position to win.’’ third quarter when the prevented what could
Maya Moore had 27 points Lynx had pulled within four have been a run of three
and 12 rebounds andSyl- points and was right there straight titles. After losing
via Fowles add 21 points in the end to ice it. to Phoenix in the West-
and 11 rebounds for the After the Lynx charged ern Conference finals last
Lynx. But Minnesota missed back to take a 62-61 lead season, the Lynx avenged
eight of 23 free throws and with 4:28 to play, Cole- the defeat by sweeping
turned the ball over 15 man hit a 3 and scored on the Mercury in the confer-
times to drop the opener. a backdoor cut off an in- ence finals this year to set
‘’How do we lose that bounds pass. Then January up a rematch with the only
game?’’ Lynx coach Cher- crossed over Anna Cruz, team to beat them in the
yl Reeve said after they Minnesota’s best perimeter finals.
held Indiana to 36 percent defender, for a layup and A ragged first quarter end-
shooting. ‘’We just didn’t a 68-63 lead. ed 10-10, but Moore got