Cooper Scores 25 to Carry Houston to First WNBA Win

Former USC standout Cynthia Cooper scored 25 points to lead the Houston Comets to a 76-56 victory over the Cleveland Rockers in a Women’s National Basketball Assn. opener Saturday night.

Cooper’s 13-foot jumper tied the score, 6-6, and came in the midst of a 13-0 run as Houston overcame a 6-2 deficit and took control of the game played before 11,455 at Cleveland’s Gund Arena.

“Obviously, we would like to have played better, but overall, this was a great night,” Cleveland guard Lynette Woodard said. “The crowd was great. They cheered till the end.”

Cooper, Janeth Arcain and Tina Thompson, the first pick in the WNBA draft, led Houston’s attack.

Thompson, from USC, hit her first six shots from the field, including two from three-point range, and scored all of her 14 points in the first half. Arcain finished with 16 points.

The Comets’ largest lead was 46-19 with 3:38 to play in the first half.

“We came in fired up because the way I figure it, a win in June is just as important as a win in August,” Comet Coach Van Chancellor said. “Besides, if we don’t get some wins in June, I might not have a job in August.”

Isabelle Fijalkowski led Cleveland with 12 points.

Sacramento 70, Utah 60--Ruthie Bolton-Holifield scored 18 points and Bridgette Gordon added 12 as Sacramento defeated the Starzz before 8,915 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Tammi Reiss led the Starzz with 14 points but scored only four in the second half. Wendy Palmer added 10 points for Utah, which trailed the entire game.

Sacramento led, 55-40, with 6:07 to play but Utah cut the lead to 63-57 after Palmer made three of four free throws and Lady Hardmon scored after an offensive rebound.

But Chantel Tremitiere, Sacramento’s point guard, made a three-point basket with 56 seconds left to end the Utah threat.