Sheryl Swoopes: Don't blame brawl on officials

PHOENIX — As Storm forward Sheryl Swoopes basked in the Arizona sun Wednesday, the only thing that could make her hotter were comments about the melee between Detroit and Los Angeles at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Television commentators hammered home that officiating was the catalyst, and Swoopes' blood boiled. Her WNBA team plays Phoenix (11-13) tonight, and she insisted that past matchups with the Mercury had the same teeth-rattling rough play as seen in Detroit on Tuesday.

Except there were no punches at the end. Don't blame the officials, says Swoopes.

"We've played plenty of games where the officiating wasn't that great and nothing like that happened," she said. "The game gets emotional, and we're women who get emotional. But we have to learn to control it. You can't blame it on the officiating."

Players need to deal with the rough-and-tumble nature of the WNBA without fighting, Yolanda Griffith said.

"Basketball is a contact sport," Griffith said after practice Thursday, stretching her 6-foot-4 frame even taller. "The post is physical regardless, and the refs are not always in the best position to make the calls. But that fight is not of my concern."

Storm forward Swin Cash played six seasons under Shock coach Bill Laimbeer before being traded to Seattle in February. She has repeatedly commented that Detroit players learned their coach's "Bad Boy" persona.

But Atlanta coach Marynell Meadors believes the rough play has gone too far and extends beyond two teams.

Dream guard Ivory Latta was knocked so hard in the face by a forearm in a loss to Sacramento on Tuesday that a tooth fell out. Monarchs players laughed while Latta dealt with the problem, according to Meadors.

"That's not funny," the coach said. "It's got to stop — the moving screens, elbows, holding, bullying and fist-pumping. It's not our game.

"We used to be all talent, finesse and running. Now teams are bullying more. The officials have got to do something. It's either that or I've got to start teaching it. That's a little scary to think I might have to teach something like that."

In a conference call, Renee Brown, WNBA chief of basketball operations and player relations, said she thought the officials handled themselves well in the incident.

"[They] did an outstanding job in trying to get the altercation under control," she said.

Ten players and Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn garnered suspensions from Tuesday's brawl, and a total of $7,000 in fines was levied.

Note

• Swoopes is doubtful to start due to a pulled right hamstring suffered in Tuesday's win against Minnesota. Griffith said her concussion is "fine," and she is expected to return to the lineup after missing the Lynx game.

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com