LONG BEACH, Calif – Dearica Hamby scored 17 points and grabbed a second-career-best 18 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Sparks (1-2) to a 70-68 victory Tuesday night over the Washington Mystics (0-4) at Walter Pyramid Stadium.
In a nail-biting finishing, the Mystics had a final chance to turn the tide with just seven seconds on the clock, however, Sparks rookie center Cameron Brink had a different script in mind. As the seconds ticked away, Mystics forward Shakira Austin received the ball at the top of the key, poised to score the game-tying bucket. But before Austin could even think, the long-armed Brink swiftly shut down the play, delivering the game-winning block for the Sparks’ first win of the season.
“Her immediate impact here, as she gets accustomed to playing in this league, is certainly at the defensive end,” head coach Curt Miller said. “When she’s not blocking shots, she’s altering shots.”
The Sparks faced a tough challenge early on, trailing by five at halftime, 36-31. The first half was marked by poor shooting and a turnover-riddled offense. The Sparks concluded the second quarter with a mere eight points on 3 of 17 shooting and ten turnovers in half, setting the stage for a dramatic turnaround.
Sparks guard Lexie Brown carried the offensive load in the first half, scoring 15 of her 20 points.
Halfway through the third quarter, the Sparks faced a nine-point, 45-34, deficit. However, their resilience as a group spearheaded a 14—to 5-run over the next four minutes, ending the game at 50. The Sparks’ run ignited fire and energy back into the 3,627 fans in attendance throughout the rest of the game.
“We have such dangerous threats at every position, especially in space,” Brown said. “They came out and punched us first, and we recovered on those runs.”
The Sparks’ victory over the Mystics was crucial, especially after falling short in the previous two matchups to start the season. The team demonstrated resilience at the right moments and secured a win despite committing 28 turnovers.
“Getting a monkey off your back is always the hardest win. But we have two winnable games coming up and it’s nice to get some confidence going into them,” Hamby said.
Next, the Sparks host Caitlin Clark, the No.1 overall pick, and the Indiana Fever on Friday night at Cyrpto.com Arena.