SEATTLE — The Sparks and the Seattle Storm battled back and forth for 50 minutes, but it was Dearica Hamby’s layup with 4.3 seconds left that finally settled things and gave the Sparks a 108-106 win in the first double-overtime game in the WNBA this season.
Hamby converted a contested shot, but Skylar Diggins’ similar attempt at the other end with Kelsey Plum defending fell off the rim as time expired.
Rickea Jackson had 27 points to lead the Sparks (12-15), who have won six of their past seven games. Plum added 22 points and seven assists (including one on the decisive basket), while Hamby and Azura Stevens both scored 21. Hamby also had a game-high 13 rebounds.
Cameron Brink had seven points, four rebounds, three blocked shots, two steals and five fouls in 12 minutes in her second game back after ACL surgery in June 2024 wiped out most of her rookie season.
Nneka Ogwumike scored 37 points, one shy of her career high when she played with the Sparks nine years ago, and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Seattle (16-12). She became the sixth player to reach 7,000 points for her career. Diggins had 18 points and six assists, Erica Wheeler added 15 points and six assists and Gabby Williams finished with 14 points, eight assists and five steals. Ezi Magbegor had nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.
Plum’s closing stop capped a thrilling game – there were 14 ties and 12 lead changes – highlighted by a variety of standout performances and heroics.
Jackson, who also grabbed nine rebounds, was huge late in regulation, making a pair of game-tying baskets in the final minute. She tied the score at 86-all with 4.3 seconds left, then Wheeler missed a contested 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Diggins tied the score at 99 with 18 seconds left in the first extra session before Plum missed at the buzzer.
As balanced as Seattle was behind Ogwumike’s big scoring night, the Sparks answered with significant contributions from Stevens, who shot 3 for 5 from 3-point range. The last of her 3-pointers came on a sequence in the second OT that began with Plum penetrating into the lane off the dribble, finding an open Julie Allemand on the wing, and Allemand hitting Stevens in the corner with a perfectly placed touch-pass as the Storm defense rotated.
Stevens sank the 3-pointer to give the Sparks a 106-101 cushion, providing some breathing room before the Storm rallied to tie it on Williams’ 3-pointer with 16.4 seconds left.
That set the stage for the game-winner from Hamby.
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