WASHINGTON – Sacramento finally has a basketball title.
OK, it's only 2ball, but it's a start.
|  | | Royal pair: Predrag Stojakovic of the Kings and Ruthie Bolton-Holifield of the Monarchs gave Sacramento some bragging rights. |
Kings forward Predrag Stojakovic and Monarchs guard Ruthie
Bolton-Holifield won the event Saturday at the NBA All-Star
weekend, beating Cleveland's Trajan Langdon and Eva Nemcova 62-58
in the final.
"In Sacramento, we're trying to get on the map,"
Bolton-Holifield said. "The Kings are having a great season. The
Monarchs are looking forward to having a great season. This would
be a great way to get it started."
The purple-clad duo won with consummate teamwork. The two
players take turns shooting from various spots on the floor for 60
seconds, with each spot having a certain point value.
In the first round, Bolton-Holifield hit six straight 7-pointers
from 19 feet, 9 inches. In the final, Stojakovic found his rhythm,
at one point nailing four of five from the 8-point spot beyond the
NBA's 3-point line.
"I carried him in the first round," said Bolton-Holifield, who
will split $25,000 with Stojakovic. "And he carried me in the
second round."
Most of the teams practiced little for the event, and it showed.
Charlotte's David Wesley missed four shots in a row, including a
layup. Phoenix's Jason Kidd got booed off the court after a
disorganized, 1-for-6 performance with Brandy Reed.
Orlando's Tracy McGrady competed in his warmup suit, but at
least he was 5-of-7. His team didn't advance because his partner,
Nykesha Sales, was 1-for-6.
Sheryl Swoopes, one of the most successful women's basketball
players ever, failed to advance after she and Cuttino Mobley scored
just 35 points in the first round for Houston.
After the event, Swoopes was walking down a hallway when she saw
Bolton-Holifield, who was dwarfed by the huge winner's trophy in
her arms.
"You want me to take that home?" Swoopes said, reaching for
the hardware.
Bolton-Holifield shot back: "You haven't got room for it."
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