AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) – The Detroit Shock put a perfect ending on their worst-to-first story.

Ruth Riley scored a career-high 27 points and Detroit beat the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks 83-78 Tuesday night in the decisive Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.

The Shock won a league-best 25 games this season, one year after losing a league-worst 23 with the franchise in danger of being moved or folding.

The Sparks trailed for much of the game, but led 73-70 with 3:40 left.

Riley, who was named the MVP of the finals, made a jumper and Deanna Nolan connected on a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left to give Detroit the lead for good.

Detroit’s Cheryl Ford, with her father Karl Malone covering his eyes at courtside, made four free throws in the final minute to help seal the win.

Los Angeles’ Mwadi Mabika scored a season-high 29 points, while Lisa Leslie, who fouled out with 43 seconds left, had 13.

Nolan, who hit the game-winning free throws with 12 seconds left in Game 2, scored 17 points. Swin Cash had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists and Ford added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

DeLisha Milton scored 19 points for the Sparks and Tamecka Dixon added 14.

The Shock are the first Eastern Conference team to win the WNBA title in the league’s seven-year history. The Houston Comets won the first four and the Sparks the last two.

The game drew a WNBA-record crowd of 22,076, breaking the mark of 19,563 fans who watched New York play at Houston in the 2000 finals.

Like he did as a player for the Pistons in 1989, Shock coach Bill Laimbeer prevented former Laker Michael Cooper, the Sparks’ coach, from winning a third straight title.

After falling behind by 19 points in the first half of Game 2, Los Angeles trailed by 14 in the first half and by 11 early in the second half of Game 3.

Mabika made two free throws to tie the game at 66 and she gave the Sparks a 72-70 lead with 4:18 left. Leslie added a free throw before Detroit made the plays for the win.

After struggling on the offensive end for a few possessions, Riley and Nolan hit clutch shots. Detroit made all eight of its free throw attempts in the final minute to seal the win.

AP-ES-09-16-03 2231EDT