Noemie Brochant Leads Mercury Past Sparks With Season-High 24 Points
Rookie guard Noemie Brochant scored a season-high 24 points and added five steals to help the Phoenix Mercury defeat the Los Angeles Sparks 94-87 at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, snapping a three-game losing streak, according to game reports from the Associated Press and ClutchPoints via Yahoo Sports.
The Tuesday night victory in Los Angeles, California, pushed the Mercury to a 13-22 record while dropping the Sparks to 12-20. Phoenix managed the win despite missing guard Kelsey Plum, who sat out against the team that traded her a little over a week prior due to left calf tightness that limited her to 14 minutes in a previous loss to Washington on August 9, 2026, according to Associated Press coverage.
Brochant and Thomas Power Fourth-Quarter Surge
Phoenix trailed 81-78 with 4:56 remaining in regulation before engineering a game-deciding 16-6 run to close out the contest. Brochant shot 10-for-13 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, while chipping in three rebounds and three assists alongside her five steals. According to league statistics cited by Yahoo Sports, Brochant became the first rookie in Phoenix Mercury franchise history to record at least 20 points and 5 steals in a single game, matching a feat last reached by Caitlin Clark on July 10, 2024.
Alyssa Thomas anchored the late-game execution for Phoenix, scoring nine of her 16 points in the fourth quarter. Thomas drove the lane for a crucial layup with 49.6 seconds on the clock to give the Mercury an 88-84 advantage, then sank two free throws on the subsequent possession to push the lead to six points, as detailed by the Associated Press. DeWanna Bonner secured the outcome by converting four consecutive free throws down the stretch. Bonner finished with 11 points, while Kahleah Copper added 18 points for Phoenix.
Los Angeles Offensive Production Falls Short
The Sparks mounted a strong offensive attack but could not contain the Mercury’s closing stretch. Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell paced Los Angeles with 19 points apiece. Nneka Ogwumike contributed a near triple-double with 18 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Despite shooting efficiently, the Sparks faltered in the final five minutes as Phoenix shot 52% overall from the field.
Upcoming Schedule and League Standings
The victory provides a temporary reprieve for a Phoenix squad attempting to climb the standings late in the 2026 WNBA season.
