LOS ANGELES – On a night when the Los Angeles Sparks paid homage to the first ever WNBA game played back in 1997 between the Sparks and the New York Liberty, and had several franchise legends in the building, the Liberty threatened to spoil the party. But with the Sparks trailing by two in the final seconds, it was fitting that one of the best players in team history, Nneka Ogwumike, came through for the win.
The former No. 1 overall pick calmly sank a 3-point shot to push the Sparks past the Liberty, 98-97, and snap a two-game losing streak. And it took a second half comeback for the Sparks to get the win, wiping away a 17-point deficit in the third quarter, with Nneka Oguwmike herself dropping 12 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Following the game, Ogwumike praised the team’s resiliency, while acknowledging that this is the type of mental fortitude that the Sparks should have been playing with since the beginning of the season.
“The best I’ve seen this year,” Ogwumike told a small group of reporters postgame. “I think that’s something that we shouldn’t just have to tap into in the moment. It’s something that we need to bring every night. And I’m hoping that this could be a catalyst for exactly that.”
The Sparks ended the third quarter on an 8-0 run to get back into the game, a run that carried over to 10-0 to start the fourth quarter. But with less than one minute to go, the Liberty still had control of the game. Breanna Stewart had the opportunity to put New York up four after she was fouled grabbing a defensive rebound with 26.7 seconds left.
Stewart would split the pair at the line, a harbinger of things to come. After Rae Burrell pulled the Sparks back to within one with free-throws of her own, the Sparks intentionally fouled Stewart again following an unsuccessful out-of-bounds challenge. The Liberty star would again split at the line, leaving the door open for Ogwumike’s eventual game-winner.
The 2016 WNBA MVP couldn’t help but get emotional immediately after the game, and for her it was just soaking in the significance of the moment with so many different Sparks and Liberty legends in attendance.
“It’s surreal to be playing in front of the people that you played with when you first came into the league. I just felt kind of the emotions of it all. Obviously getting the win, but it’s more than just a number in the W column,” Ogwumike said. “I think it’s incredibly more meaningful, especially for this community of people that have been pouring into us. These legends that have laid the foundation, and I think I just kind of felt it all in that moment.”
In addition to her scoring, the 10-time All-Star finished with six rebounds, three assists and three steals. She shot 11-of-18 from the field and 2-of-4 from the 3-point line, including her game-winner. As soon as that shot went in, the home crowd, who brought energy throughout the game and so desperately wanted something to cheer about, erupted.
“It feels great,” Ogwumike said. “Obviously I’m really immersed in my teammates … there’s a sense of relief to know that, that shot went in. And it’s a contagious feeling to want to continue to be great.”
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