Silver Star's undefeated start comes to an end

The San Antonio Silver Stars' winning streak finally came to an end, losing 105-98 to the Phoenix Mercury. With the loss, the Silver Stars are now 4-1 in the 2011 WNBA season, currently holding on to the third spot in the Western Conference.

The game started competitively, with neither team able to pull away in the first quarter. The Mercury's offense came to life in the second quarter, giving them a nine point lead by halftime. The Silver Stars managed to get back into the game in the final quarter, but weren't able to pull off the comeback.

Becky Hammon had a big performance for the Silver Stars, finishing the game with 28 points and 7 assists. Even though it's still early in the 2011 WNBA season, it's safe to say that rookie Danielle Adams has some serious skills. Shooting 57 percent from the field, Adams finished the game with 22 points and 9 rebounds.

Jayne Appel, who only played three minutes prior to the Silver Stars' June 21 encounter against the Mercury, had an impressive performance for the Stars, pulling down 11 rebounds in only 14 minutes.

The Silver Stars struggled defensively against the Mercury, allowing their opponents to shoot 51 percent from the field.

"We did a decent job on Taurasi," Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes told reporters after the game. "You're fortunate when you can find her on a night where that happens. But different things broke down. We had a period where I thought they hurt us interior-wise. Taylor was consistently the playmaker throughout the game."

The Silver Stars will try to get back to their winning ways when they host the Los Angeles Sparks on June 24. Both teams are evenly matched with 4-1 records, and the match should be highly competitive.

A win against the Sparks will be the best way for the San Antonio Silver Stars to get over their loss to the Mercury, and begin their fight back to the number one spot in the WNBA's Western Conference.

David has supported the San Antonio Silver Stars for the past three years.

Sources:

Associated Press, "Penny Taylor, Candice Dupree power Mercury past Silver Stars"

Player and game information from espn.com