Sparks Secure Fifth Straight Win with Dramatic Buzzer-Beater Over Liberty
los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles sparks continued their winning streak, clinching their fifth consecutive victory with a thrilling 100-99 win against the New York Liberty. The decisive basket came from Dearica Hamby as time expired, capping a back-and-forth contest that saw the Sparks overcome a significant deficit.
The Liberty, playing the second game of a back-to-back after defeating phoenix on Friday, suffered a blow early in the game when star player Breanna Stewart exited with a lower leg injury just three minutes into the matchup. Stewart had recorded three points and one rebound before her departure.
Despite Stewart’s absence, the liberty mounted a comeback, erasing a 15-point deficit from the early third quarter. Sabrina Ionescu was instrumental in the rally, scoring 30 points and tying the game at 99 with an elbow jumper with 23.1 seconds remaining. However, a foul by Stephanie Talbot on Kelsey Plum sent Plum to the free-throw line with 5.9 seconds left.New York still had a foul to give, allowing Los Angeles to inbound the ball on the side.
Following a timeout,Hamby received the ball in the post and managed to flip a shot over Talbot just as the final buzzer sounded,securing the dramatic win. Hamby finished the game with 24 points, while Plum contributed 20 points for the Sparks.
The Liberty’s comeback effort was notable, with Ionescu’s three-point play with 2:18 left in the game leveling the score at 95. After an exchange of baskets, Azura Stevens gave the Sparks a 99-97 lead with a layup at the 1:03 mark.
Earlier in the third quarter, the Liberty trailed by 15 points before their rally began. A moment of contention arose when an ionescu three-pointer was waved off due to an illegal screen called on Jonquel Jones. Ionescu expressed her strong disagreement with the call, prompting a technical foul from the official.
New York entered the fourth quarter trailing 74-69 but fought back with strong performances from natasha Cloud and Ionescu.Cloud scored 10 of her 22 points in the final quarter.
The Sparks started the game strong, converting 13 of their 19 first-quarter shots, including seven three-pointers. jackson led the charge with 17 points in the opening period, helping the Sparks establish a 35-20 lead. They maintained their offensive momentum in the second quarter, extending their lead to 58-45 by halftime, having made 10 of 18 shots from beyond the arc.