Playoff-bound Mercury gains confidence in win over Fever

By Scott Mammoser

PHOENIX- Playing for the first time with the knowledge that it clinched a playoff berth, the Phoenix Mercury leveled the last-place Indiana Fever, 94-74, on Friday night.

The team never trailed and went up by as many as 27 to improve to 17-14. The tight playoff race, of where the Mercury can finish anywhere between second and eighth, continues at 4 p.m. on Sunday against the Los Angeles Sparks (ESPN2). The Fever (5-25) progresses its West Coast swing in Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, third and fourth in the league in scoring, paced the way with 14 and 12 points, but rested for much of the second half. It was a great chance for the likes of Yvonne Turner, Leilani Mitchell and Stephanie Talbot to take control.

Mercury clinch playoff birth berth then level Fever by 20, 94-74.

“We clinched the playoff berth, but we want to keep the momentum going into the playoffs and want to win these last four games,” said Talbot, who scored 14 points. “This is a good start. We played good team defense and worked together as a team today. Yvonne came in today and hit some big shots, Lei, as well. They were both big for us.”

Turner scored 10 points, while Mitchell was 3-of-6 from downtown for nine points. In addition, DeWanna Bonner pulled in her fifth double double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

“Everybody played loose tonight and played their game,” Bonner said. “It’s been a long time coming (the win), but it’s a great opportunity for our team.”

Bonner added that it is relatively awkward to play against her wife (Candice Dupree) and sister (Erica McCall), both on the Fever, but as soon as they leave the court, their family life is restored.

“Sometimes we come out and our focus is not what it should be,” said Mercury coach Sandy Brondello, who became the first coach in franchise history with 100 wins on Friday. “The girls came out and really executed the scout. We talked about getting our bench going, so it all worked out anyways.”

Fever rookie Kelsey Mitchell, the four-time All-American from Ohio State, scored 20 points (4-of-9 from three-point range), and at 13 points per game, is having one of the finer first seasons in WNBA history, despite the losses. Tiffany Mitchell added 17 points and nine rebounds off the bench, and Cappie Pondexter scored 10.

“It’s important that we attack the basketball, get some open looks and knock them down,” Fever coach Pokey Chatman said. “They had 41 points in transition. You can’t do that to any team, let alone a team that’s hungry and fighting for playoff position.”