WASHINGTON — — Brittney Sykes scored 19 of her 22 points in the second half, rookie Sonia Citron added 15 of her 19 after halftime and the Washington Mystics beat the Atlanta Dream 94-90 on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
Sydney Johnson, the men’s basketball coach at Princeton and Fairfield before spending last season as an assistant for the Chicago Sky, got a win is his debut as coach of the Mystics.
Sykes made a driving layup with 27 seconds left, stole the inbounds pass and passed to Citron, who was fouled and made two free throws to cap the scoring with 17.1 remaining.
Kiki Iriafen, the No. 4 pick in last month’s draft, fouled out in the closing seconds, finishing with 14 points for the Mystics. Sug Sutton scored 13 and Jade Melbourne 11.
Allisha Gray, who was 4-of-17 shooting in the preseason, tied her career high with six 3-pointers and finished with 25 points for Atlanta. Brittney Griner scored 11 of her 18 in the final six-plus minutes and Brionna Jones finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Rhyne Howard added 11 points and six assists.
Jones, a three-time All-Star, and Griner — the 6-foot-9 three-time WNBA defensive player of the year — signed with Atlanta as free agents in the offseason as part of a new-look Dream under first-year coach Karl Smesko, who helped Florida Gulf Coast to 15 consecutive 25-win seasons.
Washington’s Georgia Amoore, the No. 6 pick in the draft and out for the season due to ACL surgery, Aaliyah Edwards (back) and Shakira Austin (right leg) missed the game.
Jordin Canada (knee) did not play for the Dream.
The Dream plays Indiana on Tuesday in the Fevers’ home opener. The Mystics play the first of four consecutive road games Sunday at Connecticut.
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