The Los Angeles Sparks lose a close one to the Dallas Wings 84-83
Los Angeles Sparks #22 Cameron Brink (F) going strong to the basket for a layup. Photo by Skylar Blackmon/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Cameron Brink who was in foul trouble with 5 fouls, still scored 21 points, 3 block shots and Dearica Hamby with 19 points and 13 rebounds, the Los Angeles Sparks (1-4) lost a heartbreaker 84-83 against the Dallas Wings (2-3) at Crypto.com Arena.
Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points to lead Dallas in scoring, followed by Monique Billings with 18 points and 12 rebounds and Maddy Siegrist with 15 points.
Lexi Brown was asked to play more point guard this season and continues to struggle shooting the basketball at the Crypto.com Arena, just 4 of 14 from the floor but had 12 points, and Kia Nurse missed all four of her shots, was held scoreless, from the floor and hasn't shot well there either.
Los Angeles Sparks head coach Curt Millier in the video below talks about the poor shooting at Crypto.com Arena between Brown and Nurse, and staying with Brink while being in foul trouble.
Los Angeles led 7-3 in the first quarter by Cameron Brink with an assist by Kia Nurse. Dallas would take a 10-9 lead after Sevgil Uzun knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the key. Brink first block shot was against Teaira McCowan driving for a layup. Brink second block shot game when Maddy Siegrist was going up for a layup.
Zia Cook for the Sparks would tie the game 18-18 with a jump shot. The first quarter ended with the game tied 27-27.
The Wings took a 31-27 lead in the second quarter when Arike Ogunbowale pulled up for a jump shot. Brink would get her third block shot when Ogunbowale went up for a jump shot. The Sparks would trail by eight points, 38-30, with a three-pointer by Brink.
Zia Cook would pull up for a jump shot that had the Sparks trailing 38-35 with 4:56 left before halftime. Los Angeles was hanging close 45-41 thanks to a jump shot by Li Yuera. Dallas would lead at halftime 49-42 with two free throws by Kalani Brown.
Dallas Wings #25 Monique Billings (F) driving to the lane for layup against the Los Angeles Sparks #22 Cameron Brink (F). Photo by Skylar Blackmon/TGSportstv1.
Dallas was up 51-45 in the third quarter with a driving layup by Monique Billings. The Sparks trailed 66-54 after Ogunbowale's step-back jump shot on the right side of the basket. The Sparks would trail 70-63 at the end of the third quarter with a floater by Dearica Hamby inside the key.
Los Angeles begin to come to life in the fourth quarter trailing 72-69 with a layup by Hamby. Dallas had a one-point lead, 76-75, after a jump shot by Yuera from the Sparks.
The Sparks would regain the lead 78-76 with a layup by Hamby with 4:01 left in the game. Dallas took the lead back 79-78 with a jump shot by Billings.
Dallas with 16 seconds left in the game, Ogunbowale would make two free throws to give them a 84-80 lead. Lexi Brown would make a three-point shot with 1.1 seconds left on the clock that would make the final score 84-83, handing Los Angeles their second straight loss at home.