CLEVELAND (AP) -- Merlakia Jones had a quick burst of scoring for
the Cleveland Rockers. Los Angeles Sparks coach Michael Cooper
simply had an outburst.
|  | | Cleveland's Merlakia Jones, right, gets bumped by Los Angeles' Tamecka Dixon, but that didn't stop her from scoring a career-high 26 points. |
Jones scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Rockers to a
74-70 victory over the Sparks on Friday night in a game in which Cooper
was ejected.
"The officiating in this league is terrible," Cooper said.
"They are out of position all the time. The fans are getting
cheated.
"As a coach, I try to not to say anything, but I am tired of
the inconsistency. I know I'll get fined, but I don't care."
Jones shot 10-for-17 from the field and 6-for-7 from the line as
the Rockers (7-3) extended their home winning streak to nine games.
Cleveland, 5-0 at home this season, last lost in Gund Arena on
July 20, 2000, to the Houston Comets.
"I just got into the flow of the game," Jones said. "My
teammates got me the ball and I have to credit them."
Jones scored nine points during a 17-2 run that turned an
eight-point deficit into a 61-54 lead. She converted two technical
free throws during the stretch when Cooper was ejected by referee
Ken Drayton with 5:21 left.
"He received the first technical because he used vulgar
language," referee Derek Collins said. "The second one was for
him clearly being out of the coaches' box."
Assistant coach Glenn McDonald restrained Cooper at midcourt.
Lisa Leslie scored 21 points for Los Angeles, which lost its
second road game in two nights after opening the season with nine
consecutive victories.
The Sparks, who trailed 32-30 at halftime, used a 6-2 run at the start of the second half to take a 36-34 lead. Tamecka Dixon scored all six points for the Sparks.
Leslie added six points and helped the Sparks to a 52-44
advantage with 10:40 remaining.
Jones, who scored 14 points in the second half, hit a 10-foot jumper with 7:31 remaining that gave Cleveland a 53-52 advantage and a lead it never relinquished. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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ALSO SEE
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