Sting hold off Lynx for win

Charlotte Smith-Taylor and Allison Feaster scored 17 points apiece to lead the Charlotte Sting to a 72-68 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday night at Minneapolis.

The Sting held off a late charge by the Lynx and moved into a tie for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sting improved to 14-15, one game out of first place with five games left in the tight Eastern race.

Holdsclaw won’t return this year

Chamique Holdsclaw will not return to the Washington Mystics this season because of an undisclosed medical problem.

The forward, who averages 19 points per game, has refused to discuss the reason for her absence, other than to rule out cancer, pregnancy and drug addiction.