WNBA Johnson's 24 ignites Sun to 84-70 triumph over Mystics

Nykesha Sales contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) -- Shannon Johnson played bigger than her nickname.
Johnson, called "Pee Wee" by her teammates, scored 24 points and had six assists Friday to lead the Connecticut Sun to an 84-70 victory over the Washington Mystics.
"Pee Wee is going to give you something every night," Sun forward Wendy Palmer said. "Once you see her game, you never forget about it."
The speedy guard out of South Carolina has averaged 23 points the last three games and is the driving force in coach Mike Thibault's uptempo offense.
"It's been fun. Playing in this offense is making me better," Johnson said. "I think once they started keying on me, I could start finding people."
Johnson had 19 of her points in the first half, and Nykesha Sales had with 20 points and 10 rebounds as Connecticut (4-2) dominated inside.
On a roll
The Sun won their second game at the Mohegan Sun casino, and fourth out of their last five overall.
"I thought [Johnson] and Nykesha were sensational because they dug in and did the dirty work stuff, too," Thibault said. "Not only did they score, they both rebounded, chased down long stuff. They're just playing like all-stars."
Coco Miller scored 17 for Washington (2-4), Stacey Dales-Schuman added 16 before fouling out in the final minutes and Muriel Page grabbed 11 rebounds.
Washington was without leading scorer Chamique Holdsclaw, who is sidelined with a strained right hamstring.
Homecoming
The game was a homecoming of sorts for Mystics forward Asjha Jones, who was an All-American at UConn.
The crowd welcomed Jones with a long ovation when she was introduced and she finished with seven points and five boards.
The last time a Connecticut crowd saw Jones, she and teammates were putting the finishing touches on a 39-0 season and third national title for UConn in 2002.
"One week I was in college and we were 39-0, and the next week you're in the pros," Jones said. "The skill, the mentality of the game is a lot different."
The Sun led by as many as eight in the first half, as Johnson and Sales combined for 15 points for a 22-14 lead with 11:23 remaining.
Johnson went out about two minutes later with the Sun ahead 24-19 and Washington took advantage, outscoring Connecticut 9-2 over the next three minutes.
The Mystics had momentum as Jones' jumper with 6:28 left put Washington up 29-26. But Johnson returned and took over, scoring 10 of the Sun's final 12 points in the half.
She teamed with Taj McWilliams-Franklin for her final bucket of the half. McWilliams-Franklin heaved a 75-foot pass with four-tenths of a seconds left, but it hit the backboard. Johnson rebounded it easily and hit a wide-open layup for 38-34 Connecticut lead at the break.
Johnson had five of her assists in the second half and drew keys fouls on Miller and Dales-Schuman.
"We need to find our rhythm and match the intensity of the other team and ride the ball for 40 minutes," Miller said.
Johnson scored five of the Sun's first eight points in the second half as Connecticut gradually pulled away, getting key contributions from its bench.
Reserve forward Jessie Hicks scored all 10 of her points in the second half, and McWilliams-Franklin finished with 12 points.