SACRAMENTO, CALIF. ? It was obvious how much of a difference the return of Ticha Penicheiro and Yolanda Griffith meant to the Sacramento Monarchs.

Taking a pass from Penicheiro, Lady Grooms made a layup off an inbounds play with 6.5 seconds left to give the Monarchs a 71-69 victory over the Cleveland Rockers on Thursday and snap their eight-game losing streak.

Sacramento center Yolanda Griffith, right, drives past Cleveland forward Chasity Melvin. The Monarchs won, 71-69, on Thursday in Sacramento, Calif.

Playing her first game since the season opener, Griffith scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half and had 10 rebounds for the Monarchs, who avoided tying a franchise-record for consecutive losses.

Griffith (neck injury) and Penicheiro, who missed the last eight games with a sprained right shoulder, combined for Sacramento’s previous 13 points before Grooms’ game-winner.

Grooms caught the pass under the basket from Penicheiro, who inbounded from the right sideline. Ironically, Grooms had missed a similar shot at the end of regulation in a double-overtime loss two weeks ago against Washington.

“We faked a double screen for Ruthie (Bolton), hoping that they would double-team her and Lady could slip off the screen and get open,” said Penicheiro, who played 26 minutes. “It worked and Lady was able to make the shot. It felt great getting this win.”

Griffith and Penicheiro, two perennial WNBA All-Stars, had missed a combined 23 games as the Monarchs floundered.

“It was hard watching the team from the bench, knowing we were losing to teams we were used to beating,” Griffith said.

Trailing the final seven minutes of the game, the Rockers tied it 69-69 on Merlakia Jones’ 11-foot jumper in traffic with 7.7 seconds left.

Following Grooms’ layup, Brandi McCain dribbled the length of the court, but missed a running shot inside the 3-point line with 1 second left and the Rockers lost their sixth straight.

“I thought we played well and did a lot of things well, we just didn’t come out with the win,” Cleveland coach Dan Hughes said. “Our people are playing hard, we’re just having a tough time closing out games.”

Bolton led Sacramento (3-14) with 16 points, while Grooms had 13 and Tangela Smith added 11.

Penicheiro finished with 10 points and seven assists.

Ann Wauters was 7-of-8 from the field and finished with 18 points for the Rockers (6-12), while Chasity Melvin had 15 points, Jones 12 and Penny Taylor 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Bolton had 14 points in the first half, which finished 32-32.

Storm 79, Sparks 60

Seattle An ugly finish in which a fight broke out marred Seattle’s victory over Los Angeles. With 9:51 left, Seattle’s Michelle Marciniak and Los Angeles’ Latasha Byears were ejected. Byears was dribbling for a fast break layin when Marciniak fouled her. Then Byears tossed the ball from close range off Marciniak’s head. Marciniak came at Byears with her hands up before Byears shoved her to the ground.

Sparks coach Michael Cooper, who already had a technical for arguing about the physical play, charged onto the court. The fight followed a play in which Sparks star Lisa Leslie and the Storm’s Lauren Jackson battled for a rebound and Leslie elbowed Jackson in the chest. No foul was called.

Mercury 58, Comets 52

Phoenix Gordana Grubin hit a three-pointer with 40.7 seconds left, helping the Mercury snap the Comets’ 10-game winning streak. The Mercury ended their six-game slide as Grubin had 12 points, 10 in the second half, and four assists. Jennifer Gillom added 14 points and five rebounds to help the Mercury (8-10). Houston (15-4) erased a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes, tying it at 52 on Janeth Arcain’s three-pointer with 1:00 remaining.