Sacramento celebrates as the Monarchs give the city its first pro basketball crown.

"It's just a dream come true," said center Yolanda Griffith, the unanimous MVP. "We overcame so much - the injuries, the doubters."

"I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience," Joe Maloof said. "This is great for the fans, great for the city. This is a wonderful story. They are the best athletes. They really deserve this. They brought a title to Sacramento."

Ailene Voison celebrates:

Underneath a purple haze of confetti, there were Maloofs running along the press table, Monarchs dancing on the podium, an emotion-soaked, near-sellout crowd erupting in frenzy, absorbing and savoring it all. How loud was that celebration? How long was the wait?

Connecticut, dejected, prepared for the long flight home.

"We know what this stuff sounds like, and we found out last year what this feels like," Katie Douglas said. "It's an awful feeling to have such a great season end this way."

Taj fumed about the refs, especially the call against her with 10 seconds left. "[E]very one of these games was close and could have (had) the outcomes decided by a call or two. And Mr. Enterline made a lot of calls that could be seen as questionable," she said. "I just hope Mr. Enterline looks at the game and sees what he called."

Coach Thibault mourned the last shot, which drew no rim. "It was drawn up for (Sales), but we didn't execute it very well... It wasn't the look we wanted. I thought we'd get a better shot."

Mike DiMauro explains the anguish.

The Sun were supposed to win this. They know it. And in sports now, when you reach the championship two years straight and lose both times, it's worse than finishing under .500.

But, Mike says, they'll get the ring eventually. "And nights like Tuesday will make it sweeter."