WNBA Finals: Phoenix Mercury Sweeps Series to Win Third Championship Title

Sep 13, 2014 07:18 AM EDT

Phoenix Mercury swept the Chicago Sky in its best-of-three series to win its third WNBA Championship Title at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois on Friday night.

Both teams came out strong as they traded baskets to end the first quarter at 22 apiece.

The second quarter was more of the same as Candice Dupree and Diana Taurasi led the charge for Phoenix to put Mercury up by two points at the end of the half.

In the third quarter, Phoenix jumped into a five-point lead at 51-46 but Chicago's Sylvia Fowles, Elena Delle Donne and Allie Quigley came back strong late in the period to put Sky ahead by two, 61-63.

It was a seesaw battle at the fourth quarter as Phoenix rallied to put them up by five points with five minutes left in the ball game but Courtney Vandersloot and Delle Donne came back for Sky to tie the score at 82 with 33 seconds left.

After the timeout from Phoenix, Taurasi stepped in and hit a critical jump shot and was fouled with 14.3 seconds left in the game, and made her free-throw to clinch the crown for Phoenix with a final score of 87-82.

"We have the best player in the world, Diana Taurasi," Phoenix Coach Sandy Bordelo said. "When you put the ball in her hands at crunch time, she makes it happen."

Both Taurasi and Dupree scored a game-high of 24 points for Phoenix while Delle Donne top scored for Chicago with 23 points.

Delle Donne made a valiant effort after Taurasi made her three-point play with a three-point shot of her own but missed. Penny Taylor picked up the ball but was fouled and made two free-throw shots to seal the victory for Mercury.

Mercury center Brittney Griner did not play for Phoenix. She had an eye surgery due to the two blows on the head she sustained during Phoenix's win on Game 2 against Chicago.

TagsCandice Dupree, Diana Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Elena Delle Donne, Allie Quigley