Australian basketball great Sandy Brondello has made history by coaching Phoenix to the WNBA championship.
Compatriots Penny Taylor and Erin Phillips were also members of the Mercury team that beat the Chicago Sky 87-82 on Friday, giving them a three-nil series sweep.
Brondello, the former Opals guard, is the first Australian to coach a title-winning WNBA team.
"I'm just proud obviously to be coaching this team," Brondello said.
"It's been an unbelievable season ... and it's one that I will savour for the rest of my life, I'm sure."
Taylor hit the last two free throws to help secure the win.
She and Phillips will now join the Opals for the world championships later this month in Turkey.
It is the third WNBA championship for Taylor and the second for Phillips.
Taylor scored 11 points in game three, while Phillips had a bench role.
The Mercury shut out Chicago despite the loss of star centre Brittany Griner, who needed surgery to correct a retina after she was hit in the right eye during game two.
Diana Taurasi and Candice Dupree scored 24 points each and DeWanna Bonner added 12 points for the Mercury, who also won titles in `07 and `09.
Elena Delle Donne scored 23 points, Sylvia Fowles had 20 points and Allie Quigley had 19 for the Sky.
Taurasi hit a tiebreaking short jumper and was fouled with 14.3 seconds left and made the ensuing free throw to put Phoenix up 85-82.
Delle Donne missed a three pointer with 12 seconds left and the Sky then fouled Taylor, who made her two free throws with 9.3 seconds left.
Brondello said Phoenix were determined not to go into a game four, but he was not surprised the title-clinching result was close.
"Chicago showed what kind of team they are - they're very resilient," she said.
"I knew it was going to be a tight game, but I always had confidence we would close out.
"That's what we've done all season long - there was a reason we were 29-5.
"We executed when it mattered."
Chicago was the first team with a losing record during the regular season to reach the finals.
The series sweep means Taylor and Phillips can join the Opals sooner than expected for their world championship campaign, which starts on September 27 against Cuba.
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