Swoopes Lends Comets A Hand

WNBA

Sheryl Swoopes took another step in her comeback from childbirth but Kim Perrot made the difference with a season-high 19 points and Wanda Guyton scored the winning basket Saturday as the Houston Comets rallied to a 72-71 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Sparks.

Swoopes, who gave birth to her son Jordan Eric Jackson on June 25, played 5 minutes on Thursday night against Phoenix in her WNBA debut and got in another 8-plus minutes against the Sparks.

“This is what I want to do,” Swoopes said, “gradually work my way back into the lineup and contribute more. I don’t expect to play a lot of minutes. I just want to learn the plays and not mess up any of the team chemistry.”

Perrot hit a pair of 3-point baskets over the final 2:44 that kept the Comets in the game.

Swoopes entered the game with 13:45 to go in the first half and the Comets trailing 17-8, the biggest deficit of the first half. She played for 5 minutes and took her first WNBA shot, which was partially blocked by Linda Burgess. She played another 3:38 in the second half.

Comets 72, Sparks 71 At Houston

Los Angeles (71) - Zheng 5-9 2-2 12, Colleton 2-3 1-2 7, Leslie 1-3 1-2 3, Dixon 7-15 5-6 21, Toler 7-16 4-4 18, Burge 1-2 0-0 2, Burgess 3-5 0-0 6, Wideman 0-1 0-2 0, Charles 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 27-57 13-18 71.

Houston (72) - Arcain 2-4 5-5 9, Thompson 6-13 0-1 14, Guyton 3-10 1-4 7, Cooper 7-15 3-4 17, Perrot 7-14 1-4 19, Woosley 0-1 0-0 0, Harris 1-3 0-0 2, Jackson 2-4 0-1 4, Swoopes 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 10-19 72.

Halftime-Houston 36, Los Angeles 35. 3-Point goals-Los Angeles 4-8 (Colleton 2-2, Dixon 2-5, Wideman 0-1), Houston 6-20 (Perrot 4-10, Thompson 2-3, Woosley 0-1, Harris 0-1, Swoopes 0-1, Cooper 0-4). Fouled out-if None, leave this in. Rebounds-Los Angeles 43 (Zheng 7), Houston 38 (Thompson 10). Assists-Los Angeles 12 (Toler 4), Houston 15 (Cooper 8). Total fouls-Los Angeles 22, Houston 19. Technical-Los Angeles coach Rousseau. A-14,358.

Sting 79, Mercury 59

Andrea Stinson scored 25 points, including 16 in the second half, to lead Charlotte’s home victory.

Stinson grabbed seven rebounds, and Vicky Bullett scored 21 points and had nine rebounds for Charlotte (11-9), which won its ninth home game.

Phoenix (59) - Foster 3-7 0-0 6, Hagiwara 0-6 2-4 2, Gillom 2-13 7-10 11, Pettis 6-12 2-2 14, Timms 3-11 4-4 13, Ambers 0-0 0-0 0, Webb 0-3 5-6 5, Askamp 1-4 2-2 4, Jackson 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 16-58 24-30 59.

Charlotte (79) - Bullett 9-21 2-2 21, Congreaves 2-7 3-4 8, Mapp 3-10 2-2 8, Levesque 1-3 2-2 4, Stinson 9-14 7-9 25, Manning 1-2 1-2 3, Suber 0-0 0-0 0, Artis 0-2 0-0 0, Moore 4-6 1-4 10, Hopson-Shelton 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-65 18-25 79.

Halftime-Phoenix 31, Charlotte 31. 3-Point goals-Phoenix 3-21 (Timms 3-8, Webb 0-1, Gillom 0-3, Pettis 0-4, Hagiwara 0-5), Charlotte 3-6 (Bullett 1-1, Moore 1-1, Congreaves 1-4). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-Phoenix 35 (Foster 7), Charlotte 56 (Congreaves 11). Assists-Phoenix 9 (Pettis 3), Charlotte 18 (Congreaves 7). Total fouls-Phoenix 22, Charlotte 19. A-10,139.