Quest Even Abl Series

Sat., March 14, 1998

Associated Press

Katie Smith and Shannon Johnson scored 18 points apiece Friday night as the Columbus Quest defeated the Long Beach StingRays 68-53 to even the best-of-5 American Basketball League championship series at two games apiece.

The fifth game will be Sunday in Columbus, where the Quest have won 24 straight games.

The StingRays won the first two games of the series in Long Beach and the Quest won both games on their home court.

Tonya Edwards added 13 points and Valerie Still 10 for Columbus.

Trisha Stafford with 15 and Yolanda Griffith with 13 were the only players in double figures for the StingRays, who for the second straight game set an ABL playoff record for worst shooting percentage. Long Beach was 13 for 52 from the floor for 25 percent. Griffith also had 15 rebounds.

Columbus took control by scoring 17 straight points late in the second quarter and early in the third.

Smith’s 3-pointer with 11 seconds to go in the first half gave Columbus a 24-23 halftime lead.

The Quest followed with the first 14 points of the second half to take a 38-23 lead with 4:47 left in the third period.

Johnson scored 10 straight points for Columbus during the run.

Quest 68, Sting Rays 53

Columbus, Ohio

Long Beach (53) - Davis-Wrightsil 0-6 2-2 2, Griffith 3-5 7-8 13, Lacy 2-10 3-4 7, Williams 2-9 4-4 8, Nagy 0-3 0-0 0, Stafford 3-12 8-10 15, Wilkerson 0-2 0-2 0, N.Johnson 3-5 2-2 8. Totals 13-52 26-32 53.

Columbus (68) - Lloyd 1-6 2-2 4, Smith 6-12 5-5 18, Still 3-5 4-4 10, S. Johnson 7-10 4-4 18, Edwards 6-19 0-0 13, Thirdgill 0-0 0-0 0, Tate 1-5 1-2 3, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Potthoff 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 25-59 16-17 68.

Long Beach 8 15 15 15 - 53

Columbus 5 19 26 18 - 68

3-point goals-Long Beach 1-12 (Stafford 1-4, Davis-Wrightsil 0-1, Lacy 0-1, Williams 0-1, N.Johnson 0-1, Nagy 0-2, Wilkerson 0-2), Columbus 2-12 (Smith 1-4, Edwards 1-6, Lloyd 0-1, Tate 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Long Beach 38 (Griffith 15), Columbus 38 (S.Johnson 9). Assists-Long Beach 6 (N.Johnson 3), Columbus 17 (Tate 7). Total fouls-Long Beach 19, Columbus 23. A-5,871.

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Quest Even Abl Series

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