Sting’s Staley hands out 1,000th assist

? Three-time Olympian Dawn Staley led the charge for the Charlotte Sting on Wednesday night.

Staley scored 12 points and recorded her 1,000th career assist in directing the Sting to a 62-55 win over the Connecticut Sun.

Staley handed out seven assists just four days after winning her third consecutive gold for the U.S. Olympic team.

“Dawn was game-sharp after playing (in Athens), and we just fed off of that,” Sting coach Trudi Lacey said. “She’s so mentally tough and competitive. That’s why she’s a three-time Olympian.”

Connecticut (13-15) rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit to cut Charlotte’s lead to 52-51 with 4:19 left when Katie Douglas hit a free throw on a technical foul by Staley, who complained about a foul call.

The Sting slowly pulled away, sealing the win on Charlotte Smith-Taylor’s bank shot with 35 seconds left.

“I just didn’t think I fouled her and I lost it a little bit,” Staley said after the game. “I apologized to my teammates because I don’t want to put them in situations where we might lose a game.”

Allison Feaster added 11 points for the Sting (13-13), which moved within a half-game of Eastern Conference-leading New York.

Lindsay Whalen scored 14 points and Taj McWillams-Franklin and Douglas added 11 apiece for the Sun, losers of seven of their last nine games.

Connecticut leading-scorer Nykesha Sales was held to eight points on 4-of-16 shooting.

The Sting showed no ill effects from the monthlong Olympic layoff, hitting eight of their first 13 shots to build a 21-10 lead.

Before the game, the Sting honored Staley by showing highlights from the Athens games and presenting her with a bouquet of roses.

“She’s a great leader and her emotion gets that team playing all the time,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “I’m happy for her success in the Olympics, and I’ll be happy for her success in every game she plays except against us.”

Lynx 72, Comets 64

Houston — Nicole Ohlde scored 16 points and Helen Darling added 14 to lead Minnesota over Houston. Svetlana Ambrosimova and Tamika Williams each scored 12 points for the Lynx (16-11), who improved to 3-0 against the Comets this season.

Sheryl Swoopes scored a game-high 22 points for Houston (12-15) and Tina Thompson added 19. The Olympic gold medalists could not help the Comets extend their home winning streak to five games.

With the loss, Houston dropped four games behind the Lynx in the Western Conference standings.

Amanda Lassiter gave Minnesota the lead for good with her third three-pointer of the game with 4:40 left. The Lynx shot 44 percent from three-point range, making 7 of 16.

Monarchs 73, Storm 65

Seattle — Olympian Yolanda Griffith scored 18 points and paced a balanced attack, leading Sacramento over Seattle. Tangela Smith added 14 points for the Monarchs, who reached the .500 mark (13-13) for the first time since May 22, when they were 1-1. Seattle lost at Key Arena for just the second time this season. Betty Lennox led Seattle with 19 points, and Sue Bird added 18.

The Storm played without 2003 WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, who returned to her native Australia on Wednesday. Jackson left to visit her seriously ill grandmother.

Fever 75, Mystics 58

Washington — Olympian Tamika Catchings and Natalie Williams scored 16 points apiece to help Indiana snap a six-game losing streak with a win over the Washington.

Catchings added seven assists and six rebounds, and Williams posted a double-double with 12 rebounds for the Fever (13-15).

Catchings aided the U.S. team in the gold-medal game in Greece, where the Americans beat Australia 74-63. The 6-foot-1 forward looked fatigued at times but played 34 minutes.

Kelly Schumacher scored 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Kelly Miller added 13.

Chasity Melvin led Washington with a game-high 19 points.

The Mystics (12-15) played without scoring-leader Chamique Holdsclaw, who was placed on the injured list Tuesday. She will miss two more games with an undisclosed health problem.

Washington came within 40-38 with just under 17 minutes left, but the Fever went on a 12-4 run and led the rest of the game. Indiana shot 53 percent from the field and dominated the rebounds, 37-25.

Mercury 63, Shock 58

Auburn Hills, Mich. — Anna DeForge and Plennete Pierson each scored 16 points to lift Phoenix past Detroit. DeForge scored 12 of her points in the second half, and added a season-high eight rebounds. Olympian Diana Taurasi added 14 for the Mercury (13-13).

Deanna Nolan led the Shock (13-15) with 20 points and Olympian Swin Cash had 14 points and eight rebounds.

Phoenix led 30-24 at halftime, and by as many as 13 early in the second half. Detroit rallied behind rookie Iciss Tillis, who had eight points, and narrowed the margin to six midway through the half.

Taurasi scored seven points in three minutes to keep the Shock at bay, but Cash responded with five points in a 10-0 run to pull Detroit within 54-53 with 2:31 left.

DeForge, who played for Detroit in 2000, made a 3-pointer, and the Mercury clinched the win at the free-throw line.

Olympian Ruth Riley left the game late in the first half with an injured right elbow and did not return.