Jones helps Cleveland past Sting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Merlakia Jones scored 12 of her 14 points in the final 4:30 as the Cleveland Rockers padded their Eastern Conference lead with an 85-72 victory over the slumping Charlotte Sting on Friday night.

Jones was one of five players to score in double figures for Cleveland, which forced six turnovers in the last seven minutes and won its first game in four tries in Charlotte.

Suzie McConnell Serio added a career-high 18 points and seven assists to help the Rockers boost their lead over the Sting to 1 1/2 games. Cleveland, which has two games left in the regular season, also got 16 points from Isabelle Fijalkowski, 15 from Eva Nemcova and 10 from Rushia Brown.

Charlotte set a franchise record with its fourth consecutive loss. The Sting, losing for the ninth time in 13 games, had 22 turnovers that Cleveland converted into 32 points.

Charlotte, which has one game left, got 20 points from Andrea Stinson and 19 from Tracy Reid. But Stinson missed 14 of her 23 field-goal attempts and had four turnovers. Reid missed eight of her 11 free throws.

Former University of Maine star Cindy Blodgett did not play.

Rockers 85, Sting 72 (Friday night) CLEVELAND (85)

Nemcova 5-9 3-3 15, Braxton 3-4 0-0 6, Fijalkowski 4-6 7-8 16, McConnell-Serio 7-11 2-2 18, Edwards 2-8 2-2 6, Brown 3-8 4-4 10, Jones 3-8 8-9 14, Scott 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Blodgett did not play. Totals 27-55 26-28 85. CHARLOTTE (72)

Reid 8-12 3-11 19, Bullett 5-10 2-2 12, Manning 0-1 0-0 0, Suber 4-14 2-4 13, Stinson 9-23 0-0 20, Mapp 4-7 0-0 8, Congreaves 0-2 0-0 0, Paschal 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Johns 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-69 7-17 72. Cleveland 33 52-85 Charlotte 35 37-72

3-Pt. goals-Cleveland 5-12 (McConnell-Serio 2-4, Nemcova 2-5, Fijalkowski 1-1, Edwards 0-2), Charlotte 5-20 (Suber 3-11, Stinson 2-6, Bullett 0-1, Congreaves 0-2). Rebounds-Cleveland 33 (Nemcova, Fijalkowski, Brown 5), Charlotte 46 (Mapp 9). Assists-Cleveland 16 (McConnell-Serio 7), Charlotte 18 (Suber 9).