Minus Star, San Antonio Tops Mystics

When the Silver Stars' Sophia Young stepped out of the game, Becky Hammon knew it was time to step up.

Hammon's 20 points led the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 63-52 win over the visiting Washington Mystics last night after Young was knocked out of the game by a groin injury.

"I haven't shot it very well, so you just keep shooting. You know, eventually they're going to go in," said Hammon, who had 16 second-half points. "I'm just happy to come in and be able to give us a lift in the second half."

Erin Buescher added 12 points and seven rebounds as the Silver Stars (3-3) remained undefeated at home this season.

Young, the Silver Stars' leading scorer at 19 points a game, aggravated a strained groin in the first half and did not return. She left with eight points, breaking her streak of 25 straight double-digit games.

"We want her to be there long-term, so the team definitely stepped up tonight," Silver Stars Coach Dan Hughes said of his decision to sit Young at halftime.

Alana Beard, coming off a career-high 33-point game, led the Mystics with 13 points. Crystal Smith added 10 points as Washington (2-5) lost its third straight.

The Mystics, who shot a season-high 60 percent in a 98-93 loss Thursday night to the Phoenix Mercury, hit only 20 of 60 shots against the Silver Stars for 33 percent shooting.

The Silver Stars, up 47-46 going into the fourth quarter, went on an 10-0 run, sparked by five straight points from Hammon. They held the Mystics scoreless for six minutes until Monique Currie's jumper with four minutes left stopped the run.

"The game really went back and forth. We were able to hold them, especially in the fourth quarter, with our defense," Hughes said.

The Mystics built a 12-point lead with 3 minutes 57 seconds remaining in the second quarter, but San Antonio scored eight straight points to go into halftime down only 35-31.

"I felt like we should have been able to win this game tonight," Washington Coach Tree Rollins said.

· SHOCK 84, MONANRCHS 70: Smith scored 30 points, including a career high-tying seven three-pointers, to lead Detroit to its sixth straight victory, over Sacramento.

It's been another fast start for Detroit (7-1), which has the WNBA's top record. The Shock began last year with a franchise-best 10-1 record before losing the next game to the Monarchs (2-4) at Arco Arena.

Deanna Nolan had 24 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds for the Shock, which tightened its defense in the second half when it outscored the Monarchs 40-22.

· MERCURY 85, SPARKS 79: Diana Taurasi scored 13 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter, Cappie Pondexter scored 28 and Phoenix spoiled the Los Angeles debut of Candace Parker with a win over the Sparks.

The defending WNBA champion Mercury (2-4) overcame an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit and avenged a season-opening loss to the Sparks (4-2) in which Parker scored 34 in her WNBA debut.

Parker had 19 points and 14 rebounds last night and teammate Lisa Leslie, making her return to Staples Center after a year off to have a baby, had 17 points and 15 rebounds. DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 16.

· LIBERTY 81, COMETS 73: Shameka Christon scored 19 points and rookie Leilani Mitchell added 18 to help New York win at home.

Cathrine Kraayeveld had 12 points and Janel McCarville added 10 for the Liberty (3-3).

Tina Thompson scored 28 points and Michelle Snow added 13 for Houston (1-6).

· SKY 85, DREAM 72: Jia Perkins and Dominique Canty each scored 16 points to help visiting Chicago beat winless Atlanta.

The Sky controlled most of the second half against the Dream, the only team in the WNBA without a win. Whenever Atlanta tried to rally, Chicago answered with a strong run.

· SUN 78, LYNX 77: Asjha Jones made a jump-hook shot with 19.7 seconds remaining and Connecticut rallied from a five-point deficit to win at home. Minnesota guard Seimone Augustus missed a 17-foot jumper at the buzzer, and the Lynx (5-1) lost for the first time this season.