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Shock completes worst-to-first run

Detroit surprises Los Angeles to become the first Eastern team to win the WNBA title.

By LARRY LAGE

Date published: 9/17/2003

AP SPORTS WRITER

AUBURN HILLS, Mich.--The Detroit Shock put a perfect ending on their worst-to-first story.

Ruth Riley scored a career-high 27 points and Detroit beat the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks 83-78 last night in the decisive Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.

The Shock won a league-best 25 games this season, one year after losing a league-worst 23 with the franchise in danger of being moved or folding.

The Sparks trailed for much of the game, but led 73-70 with 3:40 left.

Riley, who was named the MVP of the finals, made a jumper and Deanna Nolan connected on a three-pointer with 53 seconds left to give Detroit the lead for good.

Detroit's Cheryl Ford, with her father Karl Malone covering his eyes at courtside, made four free throws in the final minute to help seal the win.

Los Angeles' Mwadi Mabika scored a season-high 29 points, while Lisa Leslie, who fouled out with 43 seconds left, had 13.

Nolan, who hit the game-winning free throws with 12 seconds left in Game 2, scored 17 points. Swin Cash had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists and Ford added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

DeLisha Milton scored 19 points for the Sparks and Tamecka Dixon added 14.

The Shock are the first Eastern Conference team to win the WNBA title in the league's seven-year history. The Houston Comets won the first four and the Sparks the last two.

The game drew a WNBA-record crowd of 22,076, breaking the mark of 19,563 fans who watched New York play at Houston in the 2000 finals.

Among those in the Thunder Stix-clapping crowd included Malone and Los Angeles Lakers teammate Derek Fisher, Detroit Lions rookie Charles Rogers, former boxing great Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns and Joe Dumars and Vinnie Johnson, two former teammates of Shock coach Bill Laimbeer.

Like he did as a player for the Pistons in 1989, Laimbeer prevented former Laker Michael Cooper, the Sparks' coach, from winning a third straight title.

After falling behind by 19 points in the first half of Game 2, Los Angeles trailed by 14 in the first half and by 11 early in the second half of Game 3.

Mabika made two free throws to tie the game at 66 and she gave the Sparks a 72-70 lead with 4:18 left. Leslie added a free throw before Detroit made the plays for the win.

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Date published: 9/17/2003