West’s Danielle Robinson, of the San Antonio Stars, reacts during the first half of the WNBA All-Star Game. AP
UNCASVILLE, Connecticut — League MVP Maya Moore scored a record 30 points to lead the Western Conference to a 117-112 victory over the East in the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).
Moore scored eight straight points in the final two minutes to turn a one-point deficit into a 113-106 advantage. After a basket by the East cut it to a four-point game, she hit another deep 3 to seal the victory.
Moore surpassed Shoni Schimmel’s 29 points in last year’s overtime game, and received the game MVP award.
The West’s victory was the All-Star swansong for Indiana star Tamika Catchings, who has played in a record 10 of them. She is planning to retire at the end of next season and the WNBA typically doesn’t play All-Star games in Olympic years.
Catchings became the career leader in All-Star points with a putback in the second quarter.
There were 10 first-time All-Stars, the most since 2011. One rookie was Plenette Pierson, who is in her 13th year in the league. Pierson had fun during one timeout, taking a cheerleader’s pom-poms and leading the fans in a cheer.