Power of Caring
  presented by CIGNA

Celebration

U.S. National Team defeats WNBA Select Team

Click here for more on this story

Posted: Saturday October 02, 1999 11:32 PM

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Natalie Williams scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds Saturday in leading the U.S. Women's National team to a 99-73 victory over the WNBA Select Team in the Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game.

Despite being without three projected starters, the core team for the 2000 Olympics had five of its eight players score in double figures. The game capped a weekend celebration in which five people were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in nearby Springfield, Mass.

Reserve Ruthie Bolton-Holifield, a member of the 1996 gold medal U.S. Olympic team, added 18 points for the winners, hitting three three-pointers. Camique Holdsclaw had 15 points and 10 rebounds, DeLisha Milton had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Nikki McCray added 16 points for the winners.

Nykesha Sales, one of four former University of Connecticut players on the WNBA team, led the losers with 12 points.

The national team played without the WNBA's MVP Yolanda Griffith, whose grandmother died last week; two-time regular season and three-time playoff MVP Cynthia Cooper, granted a leave of absence by USA Basketball after an emotional season with the champion Houston Comets in which her mother and teammate and close friend Kim Perrot died; and Lisa Leslie, a member of the 1996 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic team, who will have arthroscopic surgery next week after injuring her knee. She is expected to be out for a month.

 

Related information
Stories
Moore inducted into Hall of Fame Los Angeles' Woolridge resigns
Multimedia
Visit Multimedia Central for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.