Dearica Hamby tallied 27 points, while rookie Rickea Jackson achieved a career-high 23 points as the Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Dallas Wings 87-81 on Saturday in a clash between the WNBA’s bottom teams.
Azurá Stevens contributed 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and three blocks for the Sparks (6-17), shooting efficiently from the field and beyond the arc. Aari McDonald added 12 points.
Stevens made a crucial 3-pointer to tie the game at 72 with 5:49 remaining, sparking an 11-1 run that propelled the Sparks to an 80-73 advantage. Hamby capped off the surge with a basket at the 3:49 mark.
Despite Arike Ogunbowale’s efforts, who scored 23 points for Dallas (5-19), including crucial free throws to reduce the deficit to 80-77, the Wings couldn’t catch up. Hamby responded with a layup, followed by McDonald making a pair of free throws to seal the victory for Los Angeles.
Odyssey Sims led Dallas with 23 points, continuing her consistent scoring since joining the team in late June. Natasha Howard contributed 14 points, Kalani Brown added 13, and Teaira McCowan scored 10 points. However, Ogunbowale struggled with shooting efficiency, scoring 12 points on just 2-of-14 shooting and committing five turnovers.
The win marked only the second victory for Los Angeles in their last 12 games, with their previous wins coming against the Wings and the Las Vegas Aces. In contrast, Dallas has only secured two wins since late May.
Jackson and Stevens played pivotal roles early in the game, leading an 11-0 run to close the first quarter with the Sparks holding a 24-18 lead.
Hamby and Jackson combined for 29 points in the first half, helping Los Angeles take a narrow 45-44 lead at halftime while shooting an impressive 56% from the field and recording eight steals.
