Penny Taylor leads Phoenix Mercury as they hold off San Antonio Silver Stars 105-98 – WNBA Recap
On Tuesday night, Penny Taylor led with a game-high 30 points and five assists as the Phoenix Mercury held off the San Antonio Silver Stars, 105-98 at the AT&T Center. After a franchise best start to the season, it was San Antonio’s
first defeat. The 29-year-old forward was simply unstoppable on the night, shooting an impressive 11 for 15 from the field, 3 for 6 from downtown, and 5 for 6 from free throw line.
Candice Dupree chipped in 20 points and grabbed a game best 13 rebounds for Mercury, who had four players, in double-digits in their second consecutive win.
Kara Braxton added 15 points and nine rebounds while Temeka Johnson ended with 14 points and six assists in the victory. DeWanna Bonner clutched 11 rebounds for Phoenix. Diana Taurasi, who scored a game-high 32 points in the previous
game, could not find her rhythm in the game and registered just seven points, which is 16 points less than her league-leading average. The 29-year-old hit just 2-of-13 shots from the field.
Becky Hammon posted a team-high 28 points, shooting a nonpareil 5 for 9 from three-point range and a perfect 5 for 5 from free throw line, seven assists and four rebounds to lead the Silver Stars.
San Antonio played the game without Sophia Young who is under day-to-day observation because of an illness. The 6-foot-1 is leading the Silver Stars in this season with an average of 17.5 points per game.
Rookie forward Danielle Adams came off the bench with 22 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks for the Silver Stars, who were the last undefeated team of the Women National Basketball Association (WNBA). Jia Perkins had 15 and
four rebounds while Jayne Appel grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds in the loss.
Phoenix opened the first quarter on a 5-0 run and pushed the lead to ten points, 14-4, with 06:37 to go in the quarter. However, Silver Stars launched a vociferous surge and Appel’s free throw with 02:28 to remaining in the opening
period cut the deficit to one, 18-17. Phoenix maintained their intensity and raced to a 23-21 lead with 01:34 remaining in the opening period. However, Perkins’ pair of free throw tied the game at 23-23 at the end of the first frame.
Mercury continued their momentum in the second quarter and stretched their lead to 39-27 within the first five minutes of the quarter. Robinson’s jumper with 01:56 remaining made it an eight-point contest, 48-40, but Braxton the
hit a pair of free throws and Taylor launched a lay-up widen the lead back to 12 points. Hodges hit a three-pointer for San Antonio with 54 seconds to go, but Phoenix still maintained a nine-point lead at halftime.
Mercury’s lead never dipped below 11 points in the third quarter and they comfortably carried an 81-70 advantage into the fourth. San Antonio threatened to come back in the fourth quarter, drawing within five on Hammon’s two three-pointers.
However, Bonner hit two free throws to calm the Mercury nerves and grab a 105-98 win.
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