Sparks fall short losing 89-82 to the defending champs Aces
Las Vegas Aces #22 A’ja Wilson (F) going up strong for a layup. Photo by Omer Khan/TGSportstv1.
LAS VEGAS, NV – The youthful exuberance of the Los Angeles Sparks (0-2) nearly overcame the back-to-back defending champion Las Vegas Aces (2-0) in their 89-82 loss at the Michelob Ultra Arena.
A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young led the Aces with 22 points each. Dearica Hamby had 29 points on 12-for-16 shooting for the Sparks with rookie Rickea Jackson chipping in 13 points off the bench. Jackson did her damage in 21 minutes, missing only one shot in her second career game.
The Sparks started out hot, with Kia Nurse hitting a turn-around jumper giving her team an 18-16 lead with 50 seconds left in the opening quarter. The Aces found their resolve in the second quarter outscoring the Sparks 26-15. Vegas took a 42-33 lead into the half.
In the third quarter, Kelsey Plum hit a step-back three over the outstretched arms of Sparks guard Layshia Clarendon as the Aces took a 49-38 lead with 7:50 left.
Los Angeles Sparks #5 Dearica Hamby (F) pushing the basketball up the court. Photo by Omer Khan/TGSportstv1.
Plum had her dancing shoes on in the quarter hitting another step-back three-pointer with 36 seconds in the quarter as the Aces took a 69-57 lead.
Midway through the fourth quarter Hamby scored in transition off an Aces turnover to cut the lead to single digits 79-71 with six minutes remaining in the game.
The Sparks continued chipping away at the lead with Hamby scoring another easy transition bucket with 2:38 remaining cutting the lead to 84-80. However, the Sparks did not have the reigning MVP on their side and it showed less than a minute later as Wilson hit a clutch one-legged fadeaway as Vegas began pulling away 86-80.
The 89-82 win by the Aces keeps them atop the Western Conference as they continue to pick up where they left off last season.
Los Angeles Sparks #22 Cameron Brink (F) and Las Vegas Aces #7 Alysha Clark (F) are hustling and battling for the loose ball. Photo by Omer Khan/TGSportstv1.
For the Sparks, there were some bright spots despite the loss. Cameron Brink anchored the Sparks defense with a career-high five blocked shots including blocks against Wilson and Young multiple times.
“She has a really, really bright future,” said Wilson of Brink.
Hamby’s explosive game was motivated by facing her former team. The Aces traded her while she was pregnant last year so revenge definitely fueled her fire tonight.
The Sparks return home to face off against the Washington Mystics (0-3) in a battle of the winless teams, Tuesday at the Long Beach Pyramid.