WNBA Sting's offense wakes up against Cleveland

Charlotte won going away, 61-50.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Allison Feaster led the Charlotte Sting to the type of complete game the team has been seeking for the past month.
For most of the season, the Sting (7-5) have hung their hat on a strong defense, allowing just 63.5 points a game -- the second-fewest in the WNBA.
But on Wednesday night, led by a strong perimeter game, they got the offensive production they've needed.
Charlotte hit on all four 3-point attempts in the first eight minutes of the second half to break open a two-point game and build a 17-point lead en route to a 61-50 win over the Cleveland Rockers. The Rockers never pulled within double digits again.
Merlakia Jones scored 14 points and Chasity Melvin had 13 for Cleveland.
Hot from behind arc
Feaster knocked down a pair of 3s, and Dawn Staley and Shalonda Enis also hit from beyond the arc as the Sting shot 56.5 percent in the second half.
"This is what we have been in search of all year -- to play good defense and get some easy buckets on offense," said Staley, who finished with 12 points. "We didn't have to fight for a lot on the offensive end."
Staley said it was the unselfish play of her teammates that created some easy baskets.
"I thought we did a good job of sharing the basketball in the second half," she said. "The shots we had, they were practice shots.
"It wasn't like they were shots that people were on us and we had to create. We were able to penetrate and then kick out for an easy shot."
Leads second half rally
Feaster scored eight of her 14 points in the second half, including two key 3-pointers which helped ignite the home crowd.
"I thought the key to that was our execution on offense," coach Trudi Lacey said. "We were more patient waiting on our screens and getting the shot we wanted.
"There were times, particularly on the road this season, where we have rushed our shots and we've run through our screens and turned the ball over. We didn't do that tonight."
The Sting have now won five straight at home.
"We've been on the road for a while so it felt good to be back home," Lacey said. "The first half we didn't shoot the ball all that well, probably because we have been away for so long."
Liberty 70, Mercury 64
NEW YORK -- Vickie Johnson scored 19 points and Becky Hammon had nine of her 12 to spark a second-half rally.
The Mercury remained winless in eight games at Madison Square Garden.
Adrian Williams led Phoenix (2-10) with 14 points and had 10 rebounds. Anna DeForge added 13 points and Tamicha Jackson had 12.
Tari Phillips had 18 points and 12 rebounds for New York (6-4).