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Friday 6 OctOber 2017
Lynx capture 4th WNBA title with 85-76 win over Sparks

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI at the start of the fourth. second put-back from Og-
AP Basketball Writer Coach Cheryl Reeve has wumike. The previous 12
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota always regretted not get- meetings between these
(AP) — Sylvia Fowles had ting Fowles more involved two teams, starting with
17 points and broke her late in Game 5 a year ago, Game 1 of last year’s finals,
own WNBA Finals record and they made sure to had a cumulative score of
by grabbing 20 rebounds force-feed their MVP this 908-908.
to lead the Minnesota Lynx time around to close the A capacity crowd packed
to their fourth champion- door. After Parker’s 3 cut Williams Arena, turning
ship in seven years with an Minnesota’s lead to 68-64, one of the oldest basket-
85-76 victory over the Los Fowles corralled a loose ball arenas in the country
Angeles Sparks in Game 5 ball and finger-rolled it in into a rollicking women’s
on Wednesday. just ahead of the shot clock hoops mecca, reminiscent
Maya Moore had 18 points buzzer for a 70-64 lead. of Whalen’s days here as a
and 10 rebounds and hit The Lynx looked to have star for the University of Min-
a huge runner with 26 things in control when Au- nesota Golden Gophers.
seconds to play, Lindsay gustus’s jumper gave them The old “Barn” is filled with
Whalen had 17 points and a 79-67 lead that lasted un- obstructed views — seats
eight assists and Seimone til Jantel Lavender’s layup behind support posts and
Augustus added 14 points with 90 seconds to go. But under awnings that make
to help the Lynx move level Riquna Williams hit two free seeing the court difficult.
with the Houston Comets throws and Sims had two They were all filled on
for most titles in league his- steals for layups, one of Wednesday night, and
tory. which she converted for a even if they had to crane
“I think every time you do three-point play to pull Los their necks for the right
this, it gets a little more spe- Angeles within 79-76 with view, they saw a game as
cial because it gets a little 35 seconds to go. long on turnovers as it was
harder,” Whalen said. “And Minnesota Lynx’s Sylvia Fowles, left, grabs the rebound over But Moore responded with tension. The Lynx turned
more meaningful because Los Angeles Sparks’ Jantel Lavender in the second half during a tough pull-up in the lane it over 18 times, but were
you know it’s not easy. It’s Game 5 of the WNBA Finals Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, in Min- and Fowles hit a couple of able to overcome that with
not something we try to neapolis. foul shots to ice it. 22 points off of the Sparks’
take for granted ever.” Associated Press “We’re not a team and I’m mistakes.q
Candace Parker had 19 makings of a new dynasty Comets,” coach Cheryl not a person to make ex-
points, 15 rebounds and five bearing down on it, the Reeve said. “So they did it.” cuses,” Sparks coach Brian
assists for the Sparks, who Lynx responded to reassert The game the Lynx rule Agler said. “We just didn’t
were looking to become their own. They have been now is bigger, faster and do what we needed to do
the first repeat champions in the finals in six of the last deeper and the proud to ...”
in 15 years. Chelsea Gray seven years and now find core of Moore, Rebekkah A rivalry this tight just had
had 15 points and eight as- themselves in the com- Brunson, Augustus and to come down to a Game
sists, but Nneka Ogwumike pany of Cynthia Cooper, Whalen have had to earn 5, and Minnesota forced it
fouled out with 5:29 to play Sheryl Swoopes and the everything they’ve ac- with an 80-69 victory Sun-
and finished with 11 points. Comets that dominated complished. They led by 12 day in Los Angeles. The
Los Angeles turned it over the league’s early days. in the third quarter, but Los Sparks and Lynx went five
17 times. “They wanted to take their Angeles pushed right back, games last year before
With a team that had the place next to the Houston trimming the deficit to four Los Angeles won on a last-

Hamilton aiming to build F1

championship lead at Japanese GP

on the grid, finished fourth “Each race is just really try- son,” Wolff added. “Our
in Sepang. ing to understand more car has taken more pole
Hamilton has won twice about the car because positions and race wins
before in Suzuka, in 2014 there’s constantly some- than any other and we
and 2015, and was runner- thing new thrown in the lead both championships.”
up to former Mercedes mix, (that) can catch us off Vettel, who had a new en-
teammate Nico Rosberg in guard.” gine for the race in Malay-
last year’s race. Mercedes was debating sia, is a four-time winner in
A win in Suzuka would whether to run the team’s Japan.
move Hamilton a step clos- latest aerodynamic pack- Red Bull driver Max Ver-
er to a third F1 title in four age for the Japanese GP. stappen, who overtook
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain leaves the spectators years with Mercedes and “After Malaysia, we have Hamilton with ease early on
stand after meeting fans at Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Ja- his fourth overall. found ourselves analyzing to win the race in Malaysia,
pan, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017, ahead of Sunday’s Japanese For- Mercedes was slower than our problems, beginning is sixth in the standings and
mula One Grand Prix. Ferrari and Red Bull for the to understand their causes will be looking to build on
Associated Press second straight race in Ma- and working on solutions,” his momentum in Japan.
SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Mer- With five races remaining, laysia after similarly strug- Mercedes head of motors- “Suzuka will always be a
cedes driver Lewis Hamilton Hamilton leads Ferrari ri- gling for pace in Singapore. port Toto Wolff said. special place for me be-
can widen his lead when val Sebastian Vettel by 34 “We’re still leading the “While we work to improve cause I made my Formula
Formula One wraps up its points after finishing sec- championship, we’ve still in those areas, we must not One debut there,” Verstap-
Asian leg at the Japanese ond at the Malaysian GP. got a great car,” Hamilton forget the many strengths pen said. “It’s a proper old-
Grand Prix on Sunday. Vettel, despite starting last said Thursday. we have shown this sea- school track.”q