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Perkins helps Sky beat Mystics

Jun 26, 2010 - 4:17 AM ROSEMONT, Ill.(AP) -- Jia Perkins scored 20 points and the Chicago Sky beat Washington 79-72 on Friday night to snap the Mystics' winning streak at four.

"I think I'm trying to get the ball around my sweet spot and get where I'm comfortable and go from there," Perkins said "(Early in the season) I was rushing my shot and forcing the game and wasn't comfortable. Now I'm comfortable."

Sylvia Fowles added 16 points, Epiphanny Prince had 14, and Dominique Canty 13 for Chicago (6-8) in the Sky's second straight victory.

Chicago beat Washington for the first time in three games this season

"When we played them the first time they just demolished us," Fowles said. "We're more familiar with them. We played them three times in the last 10 days and we know what they're good at and try to stop that."

Crystal Langhorne had 25 points and 13 rebounds for Washington (8-5), which led by 13 points in the second quarter. Lindsey Harding added 13 points for the Mystics.

Chicago cut its deficit to three at 40-37 at the half, and Perkins scored eight third-quarter points as the Sky opened a 56-53 lead by start of the fourth. The Mystics had just one field goal in the final 5:05 of the third quarter.

"It was just the motivation among each and every player," Fowles said. "We knew what we had to do, it was gut-check time and we stuck together and made it happen."

Chicago led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter. Washington attempted to rally, but never got closer than five points.

After shooting 48.4 percent in the opening half, the Mystics slumped to 29.4 percent (5 of 17) in the third quarter.

"We missed a lot of shots and their interior defense was very good," Mystics coach Julie Plank said. "Fowles really affected some of our shots and I thought they played well."