The San Antonio Stars began a new era of basketball when the 2015 season tipped off last night. After just one game, it has fans excited of whats to come, despite disappointing results.
Jia Perkins had 20 points, including 11 in the final quarter. It was not enough as the Stars fell 76-71 to the defending champion Phoenix Mercury in front of 11,789 fans inside the U.S. Airways Center on Friday night.
Danielle Adams had 14 points and six rebounds off the bench. Rookie Dearica Hamby started, posting 10 points and five rebounds in her WNBA debut. Kayla McBride came off the bench for San Antonio after missing the preseason while recovering from a foot injury, the second year guard scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting.
Phoenix was led by DeWanna Bonner’s game-high 21 points and and six rebounds. Candice Dupree had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Monique Currie added 12 points for the Mercury (1-0), who began their title defense with a ring and banner celebration before the game.
The Mercury were without Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, the two stars who helped Phoenix capture their third WNBA Championship in franchise history. Taurasi is sitting out the entire season to rest, as is Penny Taylor. Griner served the first game of a seven-game suspension for a domestic violence incident in the offseason.
San Antonio scored just eight points in the second quarter and shot just over 30 percent in the first half. The silver and black would outscore Phoenix 22-18 in the final quarter of play as Perkins hit a jumper with 1:06 left to make it 72-71. However, that is as far as the Stars would get as the Mercury held on for the win.
The Stars are now 0-1 on the season and will return to the court next Thursday when they travel to Atlanta to face Angel McCoughtry and the Dream at 6 p.m. inside Phillips Arena.
