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Tuesday 3 OcTOber 2017
WNBA

peat champion since Los the whole time. We didn’t Well that’s kind of subjec-
Angeles in 2002. play a perfect game, but tive. We thought it was
In order to do that, they’ll did enough to beat a really necessary that she not get
have to win on Minnesota’s good Sparks team on the the layup off.
home floor again. road.” “With the new rules and
Ogwumike doesn’t enjoy In the first quarter, Lynx the world we live in, it was
that storyline, even though point guard Lindsey Whalen deemed unnecessary.”
it finished with a storybook used her arm in a chopping PARTY OF FIVE
ending for the Sparks last motion to foul Sims in transi- The Lynx didn’t have a
season. tion. Whalen was called for good performance over-
“No disrespect to that a common foul but it was all from their starters in
question, but I’m really tired reviewed and upgraded Game 3 and two of them
of that question,” Ogwu- to a Flagrant 1. Sims stayed — Whalen and Seimone
mike said. “This year is this down on the floor but was Augustus — didn’t score.
year. No disrespect at all. fine and would stay in the On Sunday, four of the five
It’s just like the 100th time game. Still, that physical starters scored in double
Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore, left, drives to the basket I’ve heard it. This year is a play seemed to set the figures. Moore, Rebekkah
against Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike during different year, and I know tone for the Lynx, who were Brunson, Fowles and Au-
the first half in Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals, Sunday, it’s the same and I know a different team than in a gustus combined for 65
Oct. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. that’s what everyone here 75-64 loss two days earlier. points and 43 rebounds.
Associated Press wants to talk about it, but “That was the beginning Whalen scored four points,
Continued from Page 17 sive and got themselves it’s a different year.” of the game,” Sims said. but added eight assists.
The Sparks had out- to the free-throw line. They Facing an end to their sea- “It’s over now. Our mind- FREE THROW DISPARITY
rebounded the Lynx in gave themselves opportu- son, the Lynx were aggres- set is focused on getting The Lynx made 19 of 30 free
Game 3 and that was a nities and second-chance sive from the start, grab- better and concentrating throws while the Sparks shot
point of emphasis for the points on the offensive bing a lot of loose balls and on Game 5.”Sims declined just 16 and made 12.
team to be more physical boards. We didn’t play the dominating the glass. They not to talk about that play, RAINING ON THE 3-POINT
inside. way we needed to play trailed 10-8 before scoring but it was clear it ener- PARADE
“To compete with Min- to have success against 11 straight points in the first gized the Lynx.“Each team The Sparks missed 17 of 22
nesota, you have to stay them.” quarter.The Lynx, who nev- has the mindset that you 3-point attempts. Four of
in the same game with Odyssey Sims led the Sparks er led in Game 3, built as don’t want to give your the five starters missed all
them in the rebounding,” with 18 points and Nneka much as a 19-point lead in opponent anything easy,” of their 3-pointers. Alana
Sparks coach Brian Agler Ogwumike added 17. No the third quarter. The Sparks Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve Beard, Ogwumike, Parker
said. “Obviously, that was Sparks player reached rallied, but could never get said. “It’s kind of interest- and Chelsea Gray were a
a wide margin. They were double figures in rebound- closer than eight points late ing, Magic (Johnson) is sit- combined 0-for-12.
more aggressive, no ques- ing. in the fourth quarter. ting there and I suspect he TIP-INS
tion. They doubled our free Candace Parker, who fin- “I just love the way we was thinking of when that The Sparks went into their
throw attempts. I’m not ished with 11 points and competed for 40 minutes,” was just a foul. Not review, locker room during the na-
saying that to debate the eight rebounds, and the said Moore. “Everybody flagrant, just a foul. It was a tional anthem in silent pro-
officiating. The point is they Sparks are hoping to be- was really locked in and playoff foul. We have this test for the fourth consecu-
were a lot more aggres- come the league’s first re- trying to be the aggressor new term of unnecessary. tive game.q
Byrd wins Web.com Tour Championship, earns PGA Tour card

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. (AP) “My youngest, the 5-year- which starts its new season Ben Crane, another five- As usual, Crane found an
— Jonathan Byrd is head- old, has never got to see Thursday. time tour winner, came upside to his misfortunes.
ing back to the PGA Tour for me win a tournament and “My goal was to win this into the event ranked 24rd “The guys who bumped
the first time in three years she got to be here today. tournament, too,” Saunders on the Finals money list but me were all my buddies,”
after winning the weather- So it’s just very gratifying, said. “I was looking beyond opted not to play. He fell he said, referring specifi-
delayed Web.com Tour very satisfying.” getting the tour card back. out of the top 25, though cally to Byrd and Tringale.
Championship on Monday. Byrd had considered skip- ... Disappointed not to win, he will have conditional “I’m much happier for my
A five-time PGA Tour win- ping the event after two but I played really well this status from finishing in the friends who would have
ner, Byrd closed with a straight missed cuts, but week, and the 18th hole is top 150 in the FedEx Cup. had no status.”
4-under 67 at Atlantic he made the drive from his the only reason I didn’t win Crane figured he would Hunter Mahan, who missed
Beach Country Club for a home in Sea Island, Geor- the tournament.” miss out on only two tour- the cut, also failed to re-
four-shot victory. gia, after a pep talk from Byrd and Stefani were naments he otherwise gain his card.
He was tied for 66th in the his wife. among five players who would have played. He al- He can take a one-time
standings going into the “You never know when it’s moved into the top 25 on ready was in Napa, Califor- exemption for being in the
last of four Web.com Tour going to be your week, and the Finals money list in the nia, for the start of the PGA top 50 in career earnings.
Finals events that awarded this week was my week,” last event. Tour season at the Safeway Chad Collins, Steve Wheat-
tour cards to the top 25. Byrd said. The others were Matt Open by virtue of his posi- croft and Seamus Power
Byrd finished at 24-under “I played great, I got great Jones, Cameron Tringale tion on the FedEx Cup from also locked up their tour
260. His last PGA Tour vic- breaks to go along with it, I and Tom Hoge, who closed last year. cards in the final event. q
tory came in 2011 at the made putts and it just kind with a 65 and finished 23rd.
Tournament of Champions. of came easy.” The top 25 players from the
“There was, I think, a lot Sam Saunders, the grand- regular-season money list
more hard work went into son of Arnold Palmer who already were assured of
getting this win, and I got shot 59 in the first round, PGA Tour cards. Chesson
tired of telling my kids, closed with a 69 and tied Hadley won the money lists
and my kids kept praying, for second with Shawn Ste- for both the regular season
‘I want to pray for daddy fani (65). and the Finals, earning fully
to get a win.’ It’s been a Both earned their way exempt status and a spot in
while,” Byrd said. back to the PGA Tour, The Players Championship.