DETROIT, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Detroit outscored Sacramento, 22-9, in the third quarter Saturday afternoon and beat the Monarchs, 80-75, to win the WNBA title, three games to two.
Deanna Nolan had 24 points, four assists, and four rebounds; Katie Smith had 17 points and six assists; and Plenette Pierson had 16 points and six rebounds for the Shock, who claimed their second title in the last four years while preventing Sacramento from winning it two years in a row and becoming the league's third repeat champion with Los Angeles an Houston.
Nolan was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.
For Smith, who is the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, it is the first time she has played on a championship team.
Kara Lawson scored 17 points; Kristin Haynie had 13 points, three rebounds, and five assists; while retiring Yolanda Griffith had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Monarchs, who lost the last two games of the best-of-five series.
