LOS ANGELES – Storm guard Jewell Loyd scored 30 points and had seven assists en route to a Seattle Storm (17-8) victory 89-83 versus Los Angeles Sparks (6-18) Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena.
In Seattle and Los Angeles’ first matchup at Crypto.com Arena this season, former Sparks power forward Nneka Ogwumike made her first appearance back in LA in Storm threads. Ogwumike spent 11 fruitful years on the Sparks and was integral to their 2016 championship run.
During her tenure, Ogwumike was an eight-time All-Star, winning Most Valuable Player in 2016 and Rookie of the Year in 2012. Wanting a change of scenery after a decade in Los Angeles, Ogwumike joined the Storm in free agency this past offseason.
In her return, Ogwumike posted a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with six steals. The veteran forward also knocked down two critical free throws to ice the game with ten seconds left.
The Sparks continued to show their fight against a talented Seattle team, overcoming a 12-point deficit in the third quarter. However, a poor 5-for-20 shooting performance in the fourth quarter was the nail in the coffin for Los Angeles.
The Sparks’ big three of forwards Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson and Azurá Stevens came to play. Stevens led the charge with a team-high 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Jackson added 16 points and Hamby finished with 15 herself.
In a pleasant surprise, third-year guard Rae Burrell had herself a career day off the bench. Burrell’s five three-pointers Tuesday set a new career-high in threes made, while she also tied her personal scoring high with 18.
“Rae is full of energy and life, and she is one of those glue people for our team,” Stevens said. “To see her now reaping the benefits of all the work she has put in is awesome.”
However, the rest of the team’s inactivity prevented the team from having much success. The Spark guards struggled to stay in front of their assignments, and were no factors on the offensive end. Guards Layshia Clarendon, Aari McDonald, Kia Nurse and Crystal Dangerfield combined for a total of 10 points over 63 minutes of playing time.
After Tuesday’s loss, the Sparks will have a league-wide break for the Paris Olympics break. While the wins have not been there, head coach Curt Miller and his group have been excited about the team’s growth from the start of the season, particularly in how the squad has gelled.
“Our chemistry is getting better, and I feel that is important when rebuilding a team. I feel like we are catching on pretty quick,” Jackson said. “We are clearly not where we want to be, but it is trending in the right direction.”
Looking ahead a month, the Sparks will host the New York Liberty (20-4) at 7 p.m. on August 15.