San Francisco, CA- The Golden State Valkyries look to bounced back from a tough 0-2 road trip coming into tonight’s game defeating the Phoenix Mercury 87-81.
Before the game, Coach Natalie Nakase called her team out by stating she believes they are only giving “50% effort”.
It seemed those words got through to the players as they started off the game matching Phoenix’s intensity. Trailing 16-10 after giving up a quick 10-2 lead they built, it looked like the Valkryies were about to allow the deficit to grow. Star point guard Veronica Burton had other ideas, leading a 7-0 run fueled by her on-ball offensive creation and aggressive defense that created havoc. The Valkyries weathered the storm and regained a 22-18 lead after 1.
Photo by Trisha Victorio / fi360 News
The other member of the Golden State’s backcourt, Gabby Williams when asked about effort, said, “Yea we can’t even… focus on our gameplan if the effort isn’t there.” It seemed she took this to heart as she applied pressure on attacking the rim throughout the game, finishing with a tied-game high of 25 points.
After Gabby hit a 3-pointer to open the third and push the lead to 18, it seemed they were going to run away with it. However, the Mercury led by Alyssa Thomas’s 22p-8r-9a stat line, methodically chipped away at the lead. The comeback peaked at the 51.7 second mark of the 4th quarter when Alyssa hit an and-one to cut the lead to 3. Banking on her claim of giving “100%” Gabby Williams grit showed in the final 50 seconds as she pulled in an offensive rebound and a steal that led to a game sealing free-throw to answer the Mercury scare. They closed the game out 87-81.
Photo by Trisha Victorio / fi360 News
Tied with Gabby at a game high 25 points, Veronica was asked on how they are learning to win and not give up leads: “..Composure, I’m going to keep saying that is a big thing.. and that’s only going to continue to grow with experience.” They’ll look forward to gaining more of that experience at home over the next few days, as they play 6 of the next 8 at Chase Center.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Sparks delivered their most complete defensive performance of the season Sunday afternoon, snapping a three-game losing streak with an 89-72 victory over the Portland Fire at Crypto.com Arena behind dominant double-doubles from Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby.
Ogwumike finished with 20 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, while Hamby added 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Sparks (5-6) controlled the game after halftime and handed Portland its fourth loss in five games. Kelsey Plum chipped in 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals, helping Los Angeles secure its first win since late May.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
The Sparks entered the contest with the WNBA’s worst scoring defense, allowing 93 points per game, but flipped the script against Portland. Los Angeles held the Fire to a season-low 72 points, forced 15 turnovers and limited Portland to just 3-of-28 shooting from 3-point range, a season-worst 10.7%.
“I know I have to be aggressive for my team,” Ogwumike said after recording her third consecutive double-double and fifth of the season. “One thing we’ve been adamant about is working on our defensive schemes. We bought into that and started to get stops. I just do my best to lead by example.”
The victory was anything but easy in the opening half. Portland (6-7) stayed within striking distance behind Megan Gustafson, who recorded her first double-double since 2023 with 16 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. Carla Leite and Emily Engstler added 10 points each as the Fire battled the Sparks nearly evenly through the first two quarters.
However, the game turned decisively in the third period.
Los Angeles outscored Portland 23-12 in the quarter, taking advantage of turnovers and cold shooting from the Fire. Portland committed nine turnovers in the second half, including several during the pivotal third quarter, while the Sparks converted defensive stops into transition opportunities.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
Plum ignited the run with aggressive defense and playmaking. She scored nine points in the quarter and repeatedly pushed the pace, while Hamby added seven points as Los Angeles stretched its lead to 64-55 entering the fourth.
“We are still learning each other and working on our spacing,” Hamby said. “But when we defend the way we did today, it makes everything easier offensively. We got out and ran and found each other in good spots.”
The Fire briefly attempted to rally early in the fourth quarter, but the Sparks quickly shut the door. The defining sequence came midway through the period when Plum stripped Leite near midcourt and immediately fired a pass ahead to Hamby for a fast-break layup. The basket capped an 11-2 Los Angeles run and extended the lead to 18 points with just over six minutes remaining.
From there, the Sparks controlled the tempo and cruised to the finish, receiving additional support from Rae Burrell, who scored 10 points off the bench.
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts credited her team’s commitment to the game plan and defensive discipline for producing the breakthrough performance.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
“Discipline to follow the game plan,” Roberts said. “We can’t do Plan B until we do Plan A first. We have to do it for 40 minutes, and it’s a choice. Today, our players made that choice.”
For Portland, the loss continued a difficult stretch. The Fire entered the game having lost three straight and struggled to find offensive rhythm against the Sparks’ pressure. Their three made 3-pointers tied a season low, and their 72 points marked one of their lowest offensive outputs of the season.
For Los Angeles, the afternoon represented a much-needed step forward. Behind veteran leadership from Ogwumike and Hamby, improved defensive execution and a strong second-half effort, the Sparks finally found the formula they had been searching for during their recent skid.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
The victory gives Los Angeles momentum as it heads into the next phase of the WNBA schedule, while Portland will look to regroup after another frustrating road defeat.
San Francisco, CA- The Golden State Valkyries buried a franchise-record 18 3-pointers and turned a dominant first half into a convincing 95-77 victory over the Portland Fire on Wednesday night at Chase Center, opening Commissioner’s Cup play with one of the most complete performances in franchise history.
Golden State (6-3) connected on 52.2% of its 3-point attempts in the first half, knocking down 12 shots from beyond the arc before halftime to build a commanding 56-36 lead. The Valkyries never trailed after the opening minutes and withstood a late Portland rally to secure their sixth win of the season.
Photo by Trisha Victorio / fi360 News
Kayla Thornton led a balanced Golden State attack with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, as the Valkyries showcased the perimeter shooting and defensive intensity that have become hallmarks of their early-season success. Janelle Salaün added 18 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting night, while Veronica Burton contributed 10 points and nine assists despite entering the game listed as questionable with a bruised muscle suffered in Sunday’s loss to Las Vegas.
“It goes back to our guards getting in the paint and spraying it out and just believing that we can shoot and knock them down,” Thornton said after the game. “When everybody is touching the ball and trusting one another, those shots start falling.”
Golden State established control early by forcing Portland into difficult half-court possessions while turning defensive stops into transition opportunities. The Valkyries’ ball movement repeatedly created open looks on the perimeter, and they capitalized throughout the opening 20 minutes.
Photo by Trisha Victorio / fi360 News
The hot shooting stretched Portland’s defense thin and allowed Golden State to dictate the pace. By halftime, the Valkyries had already matched one of their best offensive performances of the season, building a 20-point cushion behind a barrage of long-range baskets.
Coach Natalie Nakase credited the team’s work on the defensive end for fueling the offensive explosion.
“Defense and rebounding were the foundation that allowed the Valkyries to generate their offense and three-point opportunities,” Nakase said. “When we’re defending at a high level, we’re able to play faster and get the kind of shots we want.”
The game also featured an emotional return for former Golden State point guard Carla Leite, now with Portland. Before tipoff, the Valkyries honored Leite with a tribute video that prompted a standing ovation from the Chase Center crowd. The guard responded with 10 points and seven assists for the Fire, drawing loud cheers throughout the night.
Photo by Trisha Victorio / fi360 News
Portland (6-5) struggled to recover from its slow start despite a strong effort from center Megan Gustafson, who led the Fire with 13 points and eight rebounds. The expansion franchise also received contributions from Leite and its supporting cast, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
The Fire mounted their best run in the fourth quarter, using an 11-1 surge to trim the deficit to single digits and briefly inject some drama into the contest. Golden State quickly answered, however, with consecutive baskets and timely defensive stops that restored order and extinguished any hopes of a comeback.
One of the night’s brightest moments for the Valkyries came from rookie Justė Jocytė. The Lithuanian guard, who made her WNBA debut just last week, scored a season-high eight points off the bench and continued to show signs of becoming an important contributor in Golden State’s rotation.
Photo by Trisha Victorio / fi360 News
The victory marked another milestone for the league’s newest franchise, as the Valkyries continued to build momentum in their inaugural season. Their record-setting shooting performance, combined with disciplined defense and balanced scoring, sent a message to the rest of the WNBA that Golden State is quickly becoming a formidable contender.
With the win, the Valkyries improved to 6-3 and opened Commissioner’s Cup competition on a high note, while Portland fell to 6-5 despite a spirited late push. Golden State will look to carry the momentum into its next matchup as it continues its pursuit of a playoff spot in its historic first season.
Los Angeles, CA – Without Sparks Kelsey Plum and without Aces Chennedy Carter, this Los Angeles and Las Vegas game would miss significant scoring prowess unlike their previous game at Michelob Ultra Arena as both teams at Crypto Arena found it challenging at times to put the ball in the basket despite Rae Burrell’s 22 points, four-time MVP Aja Wilson’s double-double, 25 points and 15 rebounds, gave her team a 79-69 advantage.
“We followed the game plan. We had a great scout, and we executed that. We just didn’t execute the offense, but holding [Las] Vegas to 79 at home, we got to win, right?” Sparks Head Coach Lynne Roberts said. “ We’ve got to be better offensively, and we’re going rogue sometimes and not executing, and it’s inexcusable.”
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
Sparks scored the first points of the game from a midrange baseline jumper by Nneka Ogwumike but after this short duration of a lead, the Aces took over the game. Jackie Young made sure history did not repeat itself after going scoreless for the second time this season in a game during these two teams’ second matchup, Jackie nailed her first shot of the game from deep early in the game, giving Vegas a 5-4 lead.
“I think basketball is where you’re going to go through some things,” Chelsea Gray said to FI360News during postgame presser. “Hers [Jackie Young] just happened early in the season. We’d rather that than we were talking in September, but you know, we have confidence in Jackie and she puts the work in and she relies on her work. We knew the tide was going to turn. You play the right way, you put the work in, everything will start clicking.”
Both teams would exchange baskets until Wilson cast away several Sparks defenders onto a one woman run, putting her team up, 37-30 while Burrell led Los Angeles with 11 points in the first half.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
“Coach is right. We have to have an understanding of our roles on the offensive end, and tonight we definitely did not show that,” Ogwumike said. “The fight was there, but we have to give that fight some type of framework.”
The Sparks spent that third period trailing and falling further behind the Aces on a 14-4 run down 15, 57-42 with under 3:00 remaining in the period. By then Young reached double figures alongside Wilson while Ogwumike added to Burrell’s efforts with a perfect outing from the charity stripe to keep hope alive for her team entering the final quarter.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
“It’s not often that you have a coach who will take that amount of responsibility for a game when we’re the ones out there playing,” Ogwumike said. “I just want to play harder. I want to be able to bring to life this system that she has for us, because we’ve seen it work this season.”
Sparks finished strong but could not overcome the deficit on top of the Aces making two critical plays in the remaining minutes of the game. A three-point swing caused by a monster block from Smith turned into a transitional layup by Wilson. Then Chelsea Gray sealed the game with a dagger from deep despite Erica Wheeler answering with a triple to bring the Sparks, 77-69. Smith followed, hitting a baseline floater for Aces to secure the win, 79-69.
Saint Mary's College Gaels, Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News
Los Angeles, CA- Saint Mary’s completed a stunning NCAA Regional upset Sunday night, rallying from a three-run deficit and eliminating top-seeded UCLA with a 6-5 victory in 10 innings at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Makoa Sniffen delivered the game-winning RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning, capping another dramatic comeback by the Gaels (36-26), who defeated the Bruins for the second time in three days and knocked the nation’s No. 1-ranked team out of the NCAA Tournament.
Saint Mary’s College Gaels, Starting pitcher Sam Kretsch #14 went for 4.1 innings giving up 7 hits and 5 runs and 3 strikeouts. Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News
The loss ended UCLA’s season at 52-8 and denied the Bruins a trip to the Super Regionals despite spending the entire season ranked No. 1 in the country.
Saint Mary’s once again proved unfazed by the moment, scoring five of its six runs with two outs and overcoming a 5-2 deficit in front of a stunned home crowd.
“That’s a tough clubhouse to leave,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “Those guys have been such wonderful Bruins, teammates and guys to coach. They’ve won over 100 games in the last two years. No one in the country has done that. We didn’t play up to our standards this weekend, but that doesn’t take away from what this team accomplished.”
UCLA appeared poised to force another day in the regional after jumping on the Gaels early.
UCLA Bruins Roch Cholowsky #1 throwing to 1st base for the out. Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News
The Bruins opened the scoring in the first inning when Roman Martin drove in Roch Cholowsky with an RBI single. UCLA added two more runs in the second on a Trey Gudoy RBI double and Dean West’s run-scoring groundout, building a 3-0 lead against Saint Mary’s starter John Damozonio.
Saint Mary’s chipped away almost immediately.
The Gaels scored once in the second inning after stringing together three hits, then cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third when Ian Armstrong led off the inning with a solo home run to center field.
UCLA responded in the fifth.
West launched a solo home run to right field, his seventh of the season, and the Bruins loaded the bases later in the inning. Will Gasparino was hit by a pitch with the bases full, forcing home another run and extending the lead to 5-2.
But the Bruins could not deliver the knockout blow.
Jacob Johnson, who tormented UCLA throughout the regional, blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning, his third homer against the Bruins in the tournament. Saint Mary’s added another run in the sixth when Diego Castellanos lined a two-out RBI single, trimming the deficit to 5-4.
UCLA Bruins Mulivai Levu #39 finished with 2 hits and 2 walks. Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News
UCLA starter Angel Cervantes turned in one of the best performances of his young career, striking out a career-high seven batters over 5 1/3 innings. The freshman repeatedly escaped trouble and left with the Bruins still leading.
“I thought Angel really grew up,” Savage said. “He turned a corner. It’s taken time, but he pitched very well today in a very offensive ballpark. He’s going to be a star.”
The Bruins carried a one-run lead into the ninth before Saint Mary’s mounted its defining rally. Tanner Griffith reached and eventually moved into scoring position. With two outs, Armstrong lined a single that scored Griffith and tied the game 5-5, silencing the UCLA crowd and forcing extra innings.
In the 10th, the Gaels struck again.
After Griffith reached base and Saint Mary’s put another runner aboard, Sniffen lined a two-out single that brought home the winning run. The Gaels celebrated near first base as UCLA players watched their season end in heartbreaking fashion.
UCLA Bruins Easton Hawk #27 Pitching in the 9th inning went for 1.2 innings giving up 3 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, and 2 strike outs. Photo by Jason Purisima
The Bruins threatened several times late, including loading the bases in the ninth, but Saint Mary’s reliever Cam Staton repeatedly escaped danger. Staton worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits while striking out five to earn the victory.
The defeat closed one of the most successful seasons in UCLA baseball history. The Bruins matched a school record with 52 wins and spent the entire season atop the national rankings. Led by stars such as Cholowsky, Martin and a deep pitching staff, UCLA won every regular-season series and established itself as one of the premier programs in college baseball.
Yet in the unforgiving format of NCAA regional play, two losses were enough to end the journey.
“It’s a harsh ending,” Savage said. “But you can’t take away what they did. They left this place in a much better place than when they found it.”
LOS ANGELES, CA — Top-seeded UCLA entered the NCAA Regional as one of the nation’s hottest teams, but Saint Mary’s delivered the tournament’s first surprise Friday afternoon, edging the Bruins 3-2 behind two home runs from Jacob Johnson and a strong pitching performance from John Damozonio at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Johnson blasted a go-ahead solo home run in the ninth inning, lifting the Gaels (35-25) past UCLA (51-7) in the opening game of the Los Angeles Regional and sending the Bruins into the losers bracket of the double-elimination tournament.
ROCH CHOWLOWSKY HITS A SACRAFICE FLY TO SCORE A BRUINS RUN. Photo by Juan Laniez / fi360 News
The loss snapped UCLA’s momentum after a dominant regular season and placed immediate pressure on the regional host to win four consecutive elimination games to advance.
“I thought it was a good game,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “Both teams played really good defense. Both pitching staffs threw strikes for the most part. A couple big swings by Johnson were really the difference in the game. We just didn’t do enough offensively to put ourselves in position to create runs.”
In a game dominated by pitching and defense, both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings. Saint Mary’s managed the first significant scoring opportunity when Johnson doubled in the third inning, but UCLA starter Wylan Moss escaped the threat.
Johnson would not be denied for long.
JOHN DAMOZONIO PITCHED 7 INNINGS ALLOWING 5 HITS 2 EARNED RUNS WHILE STRIKING OUT 6 UCLA BATTERS. Photo by Juan Laniez / fi360 News
The Saint Mary’s designated hitter opened the scoring in the fourth inning, launching a two-out solo home run to left field to give the Gaels a 1-0 lead.
UCLA answered immediately in the bottom half. Junior third baseman Roman Martin tied the game with a solo home run to center field, energizing the crowd of 1,898 and restoring momentum to the Bruins.
The Bruins took their only lead in the fifth inning. Trey Gudoy sparked the rally with a leadoff double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Phoenix Call. After Dean West worked a walk, shortstop Roch Cholowsky lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Gudoy to score and putting UCLA ahead 2-1.
JACOB JOHNSON GETS CONGRATULATED BY HIS COACH AFTER HITTING ONE OF HIS TWO HOMERUNS. Photo by Juan Laniez / fi360 News
Saint Mary’s responded again in the sixth.
A leadoff walk to Tanner Griffith chased Moss from the game. Later in the inning, Makoa Sniffen lined a run-scoring double down the right-field line off reliever Landon Stump, tying the score at 2-2.
From there, the game became a battle of bullpens.
Cal Randall and Zach Strickland combined for two scoreless innings for UCLA, while Saint Mary’s starter Damozonio completed seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six. Reliever Cam Staton followed with two scoreless innings to earn the victory.
The decisive moment came in the ninth when Johnson stepped to the plate against UCLA reliever Easton Hawk. Johnson drove a fly ball to right field that carried just beyond the reach of Jarrod Hocking and over the wall for his second solo homer of the day, giving Saint Mary’s a 3-2 lead.
“He put good swings on two good pitches,” UCLA catcher Cashel Dugger said. “You have to tip your cap to him. He’s a strong guy and he made the most of his opportunities.”
UCLA had one final chance in the bottom of the ninth. Call singled with one out to bring the tying run aboard, but Staton retired the next two batters to secure the upset victory.
WYLAN MOSS PITCHED 5 INNINGS ALLOWING 2 EARNED RUNS WHILE STRIKING OUT 4. Photo by Juan Laniez / fi360 News
Johnson finished 3 for 4 with two home runs and all three Saint Mary’s runs scored or driven in. The Gaels collected six hits, matching UCLA’s total, but capitalized on their opportunities more effectively.
Despite the setback, Savage expressed confidence in his club’s ability to respond.
“There’s a lot of baseball left,” Savage said. “This team has been through a lot together. Right now we’re a little uncomfortable, and that’s okay. That’s a good test for our guys.”
The loss sent UCLA into Saturday’s elimination game, while Saint Mary’s advanced in the winner’s bracket and moved one step closer to a regional championship.
Las Vegas, NV- Los Angeles Sparks are on a two-game winning streak after hitting the road and securing their third win of the season against Las Vegas Aces, with a sweet 38-point MVP game performance from Kelsey Plum to lead her team to a 101-95, win.
Both teams opened the game going head-to-head with each team’s leading scorer getting buckets, while Ája Wilson warmed up with just eight, Plum got hot and put up 14 just in the first quarter, 32-30 Sparks advantage.
“I’m just trying to go out and be super-patient and really take what the defense gives and […] let it come, “Plum said. “I think that […] when you get to a point in the league, you’ve […] seen a lot of different coverages, so I’m just trying to be patient and trust, and […] I really appreciate that Coach has a lot of trust in me, and my teammates trust me to make decisions. I just want to get better.”
By the second quarter, each team cooled down and if it wasn’t for NaLyssa Smith gathering three crucial offensive boards for second chance possessions and drawing multiple fouls, her Aces team wouldn’t have held a six-point lead to enter halftime, 52-46.
Las Vegas Aces Chelsea Gray #12 finishes at the rim with a layup. She finished with 16 points, 4-5 from the 3-point arch. Photo by Jason Purisima
Smith picked up where Wilson started to accompany Chennedy Carter bench production whom gave her team a huge boost with 16 points while their return starter and star guard Jackie Young went scoreless as she remained that way for the entire game. Plum went scoreless in the second and her response in the second half was not the same story as for Young.
“The players we got in free agency, KP played a big role in that because she’s a competitor in that space too,” Sparks’ Head Coach Lynne Roberts said. “She said it at the end, she just wants to keep getting better, and that’s real. I personally don’t think she gets talked about enough in the best-player or MVP conversations. For whatever reason, she doesn’t get enough recognition, and that’s kind of an injustice. She’s fun to coach.”
Plum went back to work in the third with 12 points while Wilson posted 11 points for the Aces but they could not stop Plum from scoring or assisting her teammates to score as she dropped four dimes just in the quarter alone, closing in on the Aces’ lead to one, 72-73.
“We’re adding three All-Stars to our team. It’s going to take a minute for us to figure out, for me to figure out, all of us […], what works, what doesn’t, and […] Rae [Burrell]’s a starter in this league, but we needed to have Ariel [Atkins] on the floor defensively. You saw it tonight […], she’s just so tough defensively. Having Erica Wheeler] at the one allows [Kelsey Plum] to get off ball a little bit, open things up for her, and then bring the punch off the bench with Rae [Burrell […], that’s […] the thinking […]”
Fourth quarter was dèjavu for Plum, scoring another 12 points along with three assists to trump the Aces with a wildcard victory after Plum knocked down her seventh and eighth free throw of the game to go perfect from the charity stripe. Prior, Erica Wheeler hit a big side step three pointer to give the Sparks the go ahead, 97-94 then Hamby and Plum nailed their free throws to break 100 and payback their former team.
Next up the Sparks will be able to rest up and prepare for their upcoming road game on May 29th against the youngest team in the league, Washington Mystics within a five-day window.
Hamby grappling for a ball. (Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News)
Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles had a chance on Sunday to make a Sparks sequel at Crypto Arena to Friday’s epic win over Toronto but could not stop Tempo’s twosome starting backcourt, Brittany Sykes and KiKi Rice from editing a new ending with a 106-96 victory.
Kelsey Plum scored the first four points and doubled that by end of the period to start this movie off right for the Sparks but there were multiple jump cuts with Tempo’s Sykes scoring all over the court to lead her team to a six-point advantage, 27-21. Los Angeles still was able to keep close in the game due to outscoring Toronto in the paint, 14-8 plus accumulating
“We’re not in rhythm offensively right now…,” Sparks Head Coach Lynne Roberts said. “It makes KP have to do too much, and she was phenomenal today, but we got to have other people share the load and be fearless and move the ball.”
Second quarter both teams dialed in better on defense, however that led into a barrage of fouls called throughout the game including a three-point play drawn by Rice for Tempo to enter halftime up 49-40 as Dearica Hamby misfired at the buzzer to respond with a somewhat three-point heave from the top of the key.
“I’m here to to learn from the the players around me, from the vets that have a ton of experience and just be able to absorb to take everything in and whenever, I need to step in because, you know, Julie’s out…,” Rice said to FI360News during postgame presser. “[Julie Allemand] She’s obviously a great player and if I need to step in, she’s out there coaching me and I’m just doing what the team needs me to do.”
Plum (Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News)
Rice did exactly what her team needed to do playing thirty-five minutes with zero turnovers in her first start this season, rare for rookies in this league especially considering the scrutiny around this season’s league number one draft pick for Dallas Wings coming off the bench.
“Her [KiKi Rice] poise is really something that I admire just as a rookie, and as a human. Not many people can go into a starting lineup, their fourth game of their career, and play 35 minutes and have zero turnovers,” Sykes said to FI360News in the postgame presser. “You could just add to the list of everything that she’s done in these four games. So, just keep going, man. Just keep going…”
Plum tested Rice’s poise on defense and even cast the rookie in a couple of welcome to the WNBA highlights though her spark was not enough to slow Tempo from scoring 30 points in third period. The Sparks went on a 13-5 run to cut the lead into single digits, 76-67 with 26 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Rice (Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News)
“In this league, it’s not a matter of if you get punched, it’s when you get punched. You have to be able to take it and punch back,” Plum said. “There are a dozen muscles that we continue to grow, and we’re going to need it because this is the toughest league in the world.”
Plum led Sparks with 28 points on 9-of-14 from the field and seven assists. Plum is the only player in WNBA history to begin a season with four games of at least 25 points while shooting 55.0% or higher from the field. The veteran All-Star recorded her fourth consecutive game with at least 23 points, marking the first streak of that length in her career. Plum continues to lead the WNBA in scoring, averaging 26.8points per game while shooting 59.4% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range. Plum scored 20 points in the second half, but Sykes one up her with 24 points including 15-of-15 from charity stripe.
Brink (Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News)
“I was confident going into it, if we could just stay together and execute the plan even though we still scored a lot of points,” Tempo Head Coach Sandy Brondello said to FI360News. “We found a way to get the win today. So really proud. We’re under man, but Kiki stepping up was fantastic. And I mean, this one [Sykes] here, that was pretty special.”
Sparks (1-3) will hit the road for the first time in the regular season and match up against Phoenix Mercury on May 21 at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Sparks shot out like a can of biscuit batter on Friday night at Crypto Arena with back to back triples to start the game on a 6-0 run that eventually rose like a sweet pastry, taking a 21-2 advantage early in the game as Kelsey Plum sweetened it more with her 27 points, adding a cherry on top of the team’s first win this season over Toronto Tempo, 99-95.
Rae Burrell got into a groove early for her team and Los Angeles for the first time in the regular season got off to a great start on a 10-0 run before Tempo scored their first points. Sparks would respond immediately and follow-up with a 11-0 run before finally Toronto was able to turn down the heat in Sparks home kitchen.
“I think we’re all very versatile and three-level scorers,” Starting Sparks forward Dearica Hamby said. “You’ve got to pick your poison. We all want to win, we’re there for each other, we’re giving each other feedback, and we’re looking for one another. We just want to continue building on that [momentum].”
While the Sparks were building up leads in the game, Plum was taking down every Tempo defender with an opportunity to play more off the ball as Erica Wheeler subbed into the starting lineup for Ariel Atkins who was out due to a concussion protocol. Wheeler seized her moment with a couple of buckets that benefitted Plum to play some one-on-one without much help defense.
“The first game that we played we [weren’t] moving the ball as much, so I took that on my back and made sure that happened,” Wheeler said. “It looked really good. It felt good as a collective.”
Sparks entered halftime up by eight, 46-38 after leading by double digits, most of the first half. Sparks had three starters already in double figures led by Nneka Ogwumike’s 15 points and six rebounds. Tempo were able to keep close in the game after such a dismal start despite Brittany Sykes scoring 10 points and collecting four steals.
Los Angeles resumed the second half still cooking with a 9-0 run led by Plum to extend their lead up to a season high 20 points.The Sparks shot a little over 70 percent from the field and over 60 percent from deep range. Plum and Sykes would get into a little head-to-head battle as both players seem to find their flow.
“Our starters played more than I had hoped, but you’ve got to do what you have to do…” Coach Lynne Roberts said to FI360 News during the postgame presser. “The coaching in this league is good, and I’m sure that Toronto will have their adjustments; we’ll have our adjustments. We need to see where we felt was giving us trouble defensively, see what we can fix, and go from there.”
Plum kept shaking and baking in the fourth though as a team the Sparks appeared to lose some of their intensity on the defensive end before laying the icing over the cake. Toronto made a late game run but could not contain Plum who scored a quarter high 15 points.
“Toronto gained some confidence. They’re gonna come in here on Sunday and try to beat us, it’s not going to be easy. So I’m grateful for the win, but I know Sunday is going to be just as hard, if not harder,” coach Roberts said to FI360 News.
In less than 48 hours, the Sparks (1-2) and Tempo (1-2) return to Crypto Arena early Sunday evening to battle after another short turnaround for Los Angeles this week. It will also be a day of celebration for AAPI heritage.
Los Angeles, CA – Two teams familiar with explosive offense production, turned into one team on Wednesday night defusing the other team with unfamiliar defense, at Crypto Arena, as Los Angeles was held to low scoring despite Kelsey Plum scoring a game high 25 points, but no Spark was able to guard Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell from the start of the game and no longer able to contain Caitlin Clark by the end of the game, as Fever prevailed to their first win of the season, 80-67.
Rae Burrell scored the first points of the game with a layup and pair of free throws, but could not match or outscore Indiana’s Clark seven of the Fever’s nine in the first quarter before she finished the game with 24 points after a late game onslaught of drives attacking Sparks defense while both teams appeared to struggle from shooting outside.
Rae Burrell driving to the basket. (Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News)
“The concerning thing is we only took 15 [threes] that means we’re not…, and I need to watch the film to see why,” Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts said. “I don’t know, but we need to be shooting more than that, but in a spaced-out offense, we’ve got to be able to knock down more threes than that, and maybe, we’re a little rushed or they’re not getting them in the spots they’re used to, it’s a work in progress.”
Sparks still seem to be figuring out on how to play together as a unit with this reconstructed roster including two new veteran starters. But there is an old cliché, ‘old habits, die hard.’ For the second game, Plum got off to a great start for, but her team struggled noticeably to sustain their energy in first half, especially in the second quarter.
“Yeah, we got to show up to play when It’s the first quarter. Like if you ever noticed the pattern in the W, talent is pretty spread out across the board,” Plum said during postgame presser to fi360News. “Hardest team playing, wins a lot of the time. You got to make shots and stuff, but it’s kind of magical when you play hard, kind of end up making shots. So, I think that we have to have the intensity that we had in that [late game] run for a sustained game.”
Sparks trailed by two with a little over two minutes remaining in the first quarter and looked to gain momentum from a crowd stirring rejection from Cameron Brink on Clark yet Indiana sustained their lead most of the game and their composure even as Sparks closed in the first quarter down by four points 24-20.
Fever extended their lead in the second quarter to double digits behind hot shooting of Kelsey Mitchell, dropping 11 points for a total of 17 in first half while the Sparks’ Kelsey rallied 13 points to help keep her team enter halftime only down 14, 48-34, advantage Fever.
“We just had a really bad second quarter offensively and defensively,” coach Roberts said. “A little bit in the first half I thought we came out a little reactive, versus, reading what they were doing versus attacking them defensively, which I thought we did in the second half and it was effective. So, we’ve got to put 40 minutes together.”
Sparks regrouped in third quarter and resume fighting to keep in the game even after starting guard Ariel Atkins went down to never return which allowed Rookie Chance Grey and veteran Erica Wheeler an opportunity to play more minutes.
Sparks would make a 11-3 run deep in the fourth quarter, cutting down Fever’s led to single digits with 1:23 remaining in the game, but a missed opportunity by Plum’s in and out triple to make it a two-possession game instead swung the game momentum back to the Fever scoring to put away the game, 80-67.
Despite enduring their second loss early in the season, some positive signs showed in this game for Brink, whom in a subtle manner perhaps responded to some tough love motivation by her coach, resulting in an 11-point game production plus three blocks and drawing fouls against Fever’s star center Aaliyah Boston, whom eventually fouled out the game. Another positive sign for Sparks was as a team, they shot close to 90 percent in the fourth quarter only missing two shots out of 13 attempts, though having few assists and attempts partially credit to their many turnovers, they still gave themselves a chance to win at the end even without having their signature high scoring high octane offense on full display.
Thus, a pattern of Sparks opponents’ backcourt scoring at nausea is something they have to address immediately as they can’t afford to let other teams’ guards find their rhythm for themselves like Clark and Mitchell did this game but even more have that rhythm flow onto their teammates like the Aces exposed in their first loss behind Jackie Young and Chennedy Carter assisting three other Aces into double figures.
“You kind of have to find your rhythm throughout the game, right? But that’s the beauty of this league. Like you get another opportunity on Friday and then another opportunity after that,” Plum said. “We’ll figure it out. We have smart players. We have great coaching. Like I have all the faith in the world that you know when the regular season is over, we will be there like in the playoffs and pushing. So I I have all the faith. It’s just the process.”
Next up, Sparks will return to Crypto Arena on Friday night still in search of their first win against the Toronto Tempo.
