Sparks edge Storm behind Hamby’s double-double, Jackson’s 23 points
Dearica Hamby posted 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Rickea Jackson added 23 points to power the Los Angeles Sparks to a 91-85 victory over the Seattle Storm on Monday night.
Seattle led 85-80 with 2:47 to play but Hamby scored five points and Jackson four in an 11-0 closing run to pull the Sparks within 1 1/2 games of the Storm and Indiana for the final two playoff spots. Seattle missed its last five shots, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
Kelsey Plum added 14 points for Los Angeles (19-20) and Rae Burrell had 11. Hamby had 11 rebounds as the Sparks dominated the boards 37-23. The also had a 60-30 advantage on points in the paint.
Nneka Ogwumike had 21 points on five first half 3-pointers and two second half three-point plays for the Storm (22-20). Skylar Diggins also had 21 points and Ezi Magbegor added 11.
Gabby Williams had two baskets and an assist to fuel a 10-0 run for the Storm, who led 25-20 after one quarter.
Ogwumike had three 3-pointers in less than a minute, making her 5 for 5, for a 36-25 lead 3 1/2 minutes into the second quarter. The Storm had six 3s in the quarter with Erica Wheeler's in the closing seconds making it 53-39 at the half.
Diggins opened the second half with a 3 for a 17-point lead but the Sparks hit their first five shots and were 12 for 17 in the quarter. The final shot was a buzzer-beating one-handed push shot 3-pointer by Jackson from beyond the top of the key, to cut the Storm lead to 73-68 entering the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles plays at second-place Atlanta on Wednesday and Friday. The Storm are home against New York on Friday.
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