View source for 1997 WNBA Championship

{{Short description|First championship of the WNBA}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball final
| league = WNBA
| name = 1997 WNBA Championship
| year = 1997
| image = 1997 WNBA Finals logo.png
| image_size = 
| image_alt = 
| caption = 
<!-- CHAMPION/RUNNERUP -->
| champion =  [[Houston Comets]]
| champion_coach = [[Van Chancellor]]
| champion_games = 1
| runnerup = [[New York Liberty]]
| runnerup_coach = [[Nancy Darsch]]
| runnerup_games = 0
| dates = August 30
| MVP =  [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]] (Houston Comets)
| HOFers = '''Comets:'''<br>[[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]] (2010)<br>[[Sheryl Swoopes]] (2016)<br>[[Tina Thompson]] (2018)<br/>'''Liberty:'''<br>[[Rebecca Lobo]] (2017)<br>[[Teresa Weatherspoon]] (2019)<br/>'''Coaches:'''<br>[[Van Chancellor]] (2007)
| television = [[NBA on NBC|NBC]]
| announcers = [[Hannah Storm]], [[Ann Meyers]], and [[Lisa Malosky]]
| radio_network = 
| radio_announcers = 
| referees_1 = Bell, Corteau, Palmer
| ECF result = [[New York Liberty|New York]] defeated [[Phoenix Mercury|Phoenix]] 59-41
| WCF result = [[Houston Comets|Houston]] defeated [[Charlotte Sting|Charlotte]] 70-54
}}

The '''1997 WNBA Championship''' was the championship [[Playoff format#One game playoff|game]] of the [[1997 WNBA season]], and the conclusion of [[WNBA Playoffs|the season's playoffs]]. The [[Houston Comets]], top-seeded team of the league, defeated the [[New York Liberty]], second-seeded team, 65-51 to win the league's inaugural championship.

The Comets' 18–10 record gave them [[Home advantage|home court advantage]] over New York (17–11).

For the playoffs, the top four teams overall in the league were seeded one to four. Top seed Houston played the four seed Charlotte and the two seed New York played number three Phoenix.

==Road to the final==
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; font-size:90%;"
|- valign=top
!width=50%|Houston Comets
!
!width=50%|New York Liberty
|-
|align=right|18–10 (.643)<br />1st East, 1st overall
![[1997 WNBA season|Regular season]]
|align=left|17–11 (.607)<br />2nd East, 2nd overall
|-
|align=right|Defeated the (4) [[Charlotte Sting]], 70-54
!WNBA Semifinals
|align=left|Defeated the (3) [[Phoenix Mercury]], 59-41
|}

===Regular season series===
The [[New York Liberty|Liberty]] won 3 of the 4 games in the regular season series:
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = June 26
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980208050346/http://www.wnba.com/boxscores/062697/newyork_houston.html |date=February 8, 1998 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[New York Liberty]] |score1=62'''
 | team2 = [[Houston Comets]] |score2=60 (OT)
 | place = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]
 | TV = 
 }}
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #fff
 | date = July 2
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980208050612/http://www.wnba.com/boxscores/070297/houston_newyork.html |date=February 8, 1998 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[Houston Comets]] |score1=67
 | team2 = '''[[New York Liberty]] |score2=70'''
 | place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York]]
 | TV = 
}}
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = July 4
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980208050732/http://www.wnba.com/boxscores/070497/newyork_houston.html |date=February 8, 1998 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[New York Liberty]] |score1=65'''
 | team2 = [[Houston Comets]] |score2=58
 | place = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]
 | TV = 
}}
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #fff
 | date = August 17
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980208062116/http://www.wnba.com/boxscores/081797/houston_newyork.html |date=February 8, 1998 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[Houston Comets]] |score1=70'''
 | team2 = [[New York Liberty]] |score2=55
 | place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York]]
 | TV = 
}}

==Game summary==
Time listed below is [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Daylight Time]].

{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = August 30
 | time = 7:00pm
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980208044354/http://www.wnba.com/boxscores/083097/newyork_houston.html |date=February 8, 1998 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[New York Liberty]]
 | score1 = 51
 | score2 = '''65'''
 | H1 = 24–28 | H2 = 27–37
 | team2 = '''[[Houston Comets]]'''
 | points1 = [[Kym Hampton|Hampton]] (13)
 | points2 = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cooper]] (25)
 | rebounds1 = [[Kym Hampton|Hampton]] (13)
 | rebounds2 = [[Tammy Jackson|Jackson]] (11)
 | assist1 = [[Teresa Weatherspoon|Weatherspoon]] (5)
 | assist2 = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cooper]] (4)
 | place = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]
 | attendance = 16,285
 | referee =<br />
*Bell
*Courteau
*Palmer
 | TV = [[NBC]]
}}

The [[Houston Comets]] became the first WNBA champions, riding the unstoppable [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]] and a suffocating defense to a 65–51 victory over the [[New York Liberty]].

Cooper, the fledgling league's leading scorer who was named [[WNBA MVP|Most Valuable Player]] earlier in the week, scored 14 of her 25 points in the pivotal second half, when the Comets had a 10–0 burst and held the Liberty scoreless for nearly 6½ minutes. [[Tina Thompson]] added 18 points for the Comets, who turned Houston into "Clutch City" again. The city adopted that nickname during the two-year championship reign of the [[NBA|NBA's]] [[Houston Rockets]].

Cooper also was named [[WNBA Finals MVP Award|Finals MVP]] as the sellout crowd of 16,285 saw the Comets come up with their best defensive effort of the season.

Kym Hampton had 13 points and 13 rebounds and [[Vickie Johnson]] added 12 points for the Liberty, who picked a bad time for one of their worst offensive displays. A meaningless basket with three seconds remaining by [[Rebecca Lobo]]—who was limited to nine points—allowed New York to avoid its lowest point total of the season.

Houston, which edged New York for the [[Eastern Conference (WNBA)|Eastern Conference]] title and knocked off [[Charlotte Sting|Charlotte]] in the semifinals, finished the regular season 18–10. The Liberty, who advanced with a semifinal win at [[Phoenix Mercury|Phoenix]], were 17–11.

==Awards==
*'''1997 WNBA champion:''' [[Houston Comets]]	
*'''[[Women's National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Finals MVP]]''': [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]]

==Rosters==
<!-- This is an intentionally substituted copy of [[Template:Houston Comets roster]] kept as a "snapshot" for this championship series -->
{{sports roster
|season=1997
|team=Houston Comets Finals
|style=WNBA
| bg1 = #B22222|color1= #D3D3D3|bg2= #D3D3D3|color2= #FFFFFF
|players=
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 4 | first = Janeth | last = Arcain | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 147 | from = Brazil | nat = BRA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 14 | first = Cynthia | last = Cooper |link= Cynthia Cooper-Dyke | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 150 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 9 | first = Wanda | last = Guyton | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 178 | college = South Florida | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 20 | first = Fran | last = Harris | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 153 | college = Texas | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 23 | first = Tammy | last = Jackson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 190 | college = Florida | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 33 | first = Yolanda | last = Moore | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 175 | college = Mississippi | nat = USA }}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 10 | first = Kim | last = Perrot | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 5 | lbs = 130 | from = Southwestern Louisiana | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 22 | first = Sheryl | last = Swoopes | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 145 | college = Texas Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 7 | first = Tina | last = Thompson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 178 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 5 | first = Tiffany | last = Woosley | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 7 | lbs = 132 | college = Tennessee | nat = USA}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach = 
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Van | last = Chancellor| college = Mississippi State}}
| asst_coach =

}}
<!-- This is an intentionally substituted copy of [[Template:New York Liberty roster]] kept as a "snapshot" for this championship series -->
{{sports roster
|season=1997
|team=New York Liberty Finals
|style=WNBA
| bg1 = #0047AB|color1= #FFFFFF|bg2= #66CDAA|color2= #FF4500
|players=
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 10 | first = Rhonda | last = Blades | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 7 | lbs = 138 | college = Vanderbilt | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 22 | first = Cassandra | last = Crumpton-Moorer | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 175 | college = Alabama | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 5 | first = Kisha | last = Ford | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 153 | college = Georgia Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 34 | first = Kym | last = Hampton | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 210 | college = Arizona State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 55 | first = Vickie | last = Johnson | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 150 | college = Louisiana Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 50 | first = Rebecca | last = Lobo | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 185 | college = Connecticut | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 33 | first = Trena | last = Trice | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 180 | college = North Carolina State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 11 | first = Teresa | last = Weatherspoon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 8 | lbs = 161 | college = Louisiana Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 23 | first = Sue | last = Wicks | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 174 | college = Rutgers | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 13 | first = Sophia | last = Witherspoon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 145 | college = Florida | nat = USA}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach = 
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Nancy | last = Darsch| college = Springfield College}}
| asst_coach =

}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/playoffs/1997-FIN-NYL-HOU.html Basketball-Reference.com – 1997 WNBA Finals]
*[https://www.wnba.com/playoffs/1997/ WNBA.com – 1997 WNBA Finals]

{{WNBA Finals}}
{{1997 WNBA season by team}}
{{Houston Comets}}
{{Houston Comets 1997 WNBA Champions}}
{{New York Liberty}}
{{NBA on NBC}}

[[Category:1997 WNBA season|Finals]]
[[Category:Houston Comets]]
[[Category:New York Liberty]]
[[Category:1997 in sports in New York (state)|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:1997 in sports in Texas|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:WNBA Finals]]
[[Category:August 1997 sports events in the United States|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:Basketball competitions in Houston]]
[[Category:1997 in Houston]]
[[Category:Basketball competitions in New York City]]