Mystics Escape After Late Surge

Mystics 65, Comets 58

They had convinced themselves that this was their fresh start. Evidence of this thinking hung in a prominent place on a wall in the Washington Mystics' locker room yesterday, where a white board displayed in big green numbers "0-0" -- the team's record after the all-star break.

But after the first 20 minutes yesterday, the Mystics found themselves in a position they had hoped to avoid. In what the team had termed a must-win game, Washington trailed Houston by 14 points at halftime and looked like a sure bet to blow its opportunity to improve on a clean slate.

"Here we go, as the story unfolds every night for us," forward DeLisha Milton-Jones said.

Then, in keeping with what has become a pattern, the Mystics came alive. The second-half momentum shift was enough to lift Washington to a 65-58 victory against the Comets, one that could prove key as the Mystics attempt to earn a spot in the postseason.

A season-high 13,997 fans at Verizon Center -- most of them summer campers taking advantage of the 11:30 a.m. start time on Camp Day -- watched Washington escape what could have been a demoralizing loss to a team languishing near last place in the Western Conference.

"It would have been a big blow for us," interim coach Tree Rollins said.

Mystics guard Alana Beard scored 16 points, with half of those coming in the decisive fourth quarter. Monique Currie had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Milton-Jones added 11 points and 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, the increased production showed itself in the final quarter, when the Mystics held Houston to 0-for-10 shooting and closed out the game by outscoring the Comets 17-1 over the final 5 minutes 56 seconds.

"Awesome, huh?" Rollins said. "Our defense got us those points."

After trailing most of the way, Mystics forward-center Nakia Sanford tied the game at 57 by making a free throw with 2:21 left in the fourth. She missed her second try from the line, but came up with the rebound, which she quickly turned into a layup that put the Mystics ahead for good.

"We picked it up, played great defense and came together as a whole," said Beard, who helped the Mystics move to 8-12. "That's what it takes."

Washington outrebounded Houston 28-14 in the second half and turned up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter, limiting the Comets to seven points. But the turnaround almost came too late.

The Mystics lost their composure in the first half while the Comets (6-15) built a big lead. They couldn't get into a rhythm, looking like a team still relaxing from the all-star break. They complained about the officiating, but a lack of urgency on defense was a bigger culprit.

"It was ugly," Beard said. "We were upset at the wrong things and it started with me."

Upset with several calls, Beard protested to referees after the horn sounded to end the half. She had to be persuaded by teammates to walk back to the locker room.

"This energy we were putting into the wrong things, we needed to put into the defensive end," Beard said. "I think everyone responded to it very well."

Some of Washington's newfound fight could be seen when Sanford and Houston center Michelle Snow nearly had an altercation after they made hard contact under the basket.

However, the Mystics settled down and, again, managed to get away with another sloppy start. Indeed, by game's end, the board in the locker room read "1-0." But the notch in the win column was written with in red marker, an appropriate color for a victory that should have come with a sobering warning.

"We can't continue to think that we can win this way," Beard said.