WNBA
Scores/Schedules Standings
Statistics
Rosters
  Saturday, Jun. 3 10:00pm ET
Deep sub Williams: 10 points in 10 minutes
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

SEATTLE (AP) -- Portland Fire Coach Linda Hargrove is happy she kept Tara Williams on the roster.

"I think her chances of making the squad have dramatically improved after tonight," Hargrove said after Williams, the last player off the Portland bench, scored 10 points in the last 10:00 to lead the expansion Fire to a 65-58 victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday night. It was Portland's first WNBA victory.

Williams, released from the Sacramento camp just before the start of the WNBA season, was a last-minute addition to Portland's roster. Hargrove liked what she saw of Williams, a 1997 Auburn graduate who once scored 51 points in a game as a sophomore.

"I cut a few other players to see what she could do," Hargrove said. "I knew she could shoot. She just needed a chance in the game."

Williams sank all four field goals she attempted, including of a pair of crucial 3-pointers after the score had been tied at 50. She was also 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

Sylvia Crawley led Portland with 18 points and Sophia Witherspoon added 11, but was only 1-for-13 from the field.

Edna Campbell had 18 for Seattle, another expansion team that fell to 0-3. She also struggled from the field, shooting 5-for-20.

Seattle led 33-28 at halftime, but the lead changed hands 10 times in the second half until Williams sank her consecutive 3-pointers. Seattle tied the game at 58 with 1:13 left on a Campbell layup.

The Storm then gave up inside baskets to Vanessa Nygaard and Crawley in the closing minute to let the Fire pull away.

Portland shot 37 percent from the field, and Seattle shot 35 percent.
 


ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard

RECAPS
Cleveland 72
Washington 49

New York 87
Utah 76

Orlando 88
Indiana 82

Phoenix 80
Houston 62

Miami 74
Charlotte 63

Detroit 77
Sacramento 74

Los Angeles 82
Minnesota 75

Portland 65
Seattle 58