AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (July 24) -
Nancy Lieberman savored every moment of her brief return to professional basketball, even throwing in a no-look pass.
The 50-year-old Hall of Famer had two assists and two turnovers in the Detroit Shock's 79-61 loss to the Houston Comets on Thursday night.
Lieberman made a one-time only appearance in the Shock's first game since Tuesday night's bench-clearing melee with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Five Shock players were suspended and Cheryl Ford sustained a season-ending injury, prompting coach Bill Laimbeer to offer Lieberman a seven-day contract.
"I appreciate what Bill did for me and for women's basketball," Lieberman said.
Lieberman played nine minutes, seven in the fourth quarter, when the game's outcome was decided. The Shock players tried to get her in a position to score every time down the floor at the end, but Lieberman could only get off one shot and missed it off the rim.
With 1:16 left, she zipped a no-look pass to Olayinka Sanni in the lane and Sanni put it in, prompting some of the loudest applause of the night from the crowd of 7,261.
"I think I'll be able to pass when I'm in a wheelchair," she said. "Hopefully, that won't be too soon. But I've always been able to pass and it's fun to make people better."