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Nneka Ogwumike and Sparks battle but lose late to Connecticut Sun

June 19, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike had a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds and 5 assists but the Sparks could not overcome a 9-0 run by the Connecticut Sun in the final three minutes of the game, losing 83-74 at Crypto.com Arena Sunday.

“I’m grateful to be healthy and be out there,” Ogwumike said, who is in the midst of her 12th season in the WNBA. “I just want to be productive for my team.”

Sparks point guard Jordin Canada had 14 points, five rebounds, and six assists. Azurá Stevens added 12 points.

The Sparks are now 5-6 overall. Connecticut improved to 9-3.

Sparks reserve forward Karlie Samuelson, who finished with 11 points, tied the game at 74 with 3:01 to go.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” Samuelson said. “Connecticut is a really good team. They’ve been together for a really long time so we feel like we can play with anybody. We’ve had really close games and we just have to find a way to finish those close ones.”

Nneka Ogwumike and Karlie Samuelson talk about what’s different for the Los Angeles Sparks this season after being tied at 74 with 3:01 to go against the Connecticut Sun. #WNBA pic.twitter.com/6oHSbKcSJX

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 19, 2023

Two free throws by Sun guard DiJonai Carrington and a layup by Sun forward Brionna Jones put Connecticut up 78-74 with 1:54 to go.

Sparks head coach Curt Miller received a technical foul with Sparks trailing 78-74 with 1:27 to go.

“I thought that a play was missed in a big moment and I asked her about it,” Miller said in a postgame interview.

Curt Miller on what the LA Sparks are building after a competitive 83-74 loss against the Connecticut Sun. Miller also talks about his late technical foul with the Sparks down 4 with 1:27 to go. #WNBA #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/rq57WeR94S

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 19, 2023

Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner, who scored a game-high 20 points, made the free throw and followed that up with a driving layup and the Sparks trailed 81-74 with 1:14 to go.

Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas finished with a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. Brionna Jones added 17 points and eight rebounds.

Meanwhile, Sparks forward Dearica Hamby scored six of her team’s first eight points. Hamby finished with eight points, four rebounds and three assists. The Sparks led 19-15 heading into the second quarter.

The Sun battled back and took a 27-23 lead with 6:01 left in the second quarter on a layup by Thomas.

However, the Sparks responded as Stevens gave her team a 35-34 lead with 2:30 to go before halftime when the 6-foot-6 forward stole the ball on the perimeter and streaked down the court for a fast-break layup.

The Sparks, who shot 56.2% in the first half, finished the second quarter on a 13-5 run and led 44-39 at halftime.

The game was tied at 63 heading into the fourth quarter.

Newcomer Destanni Henderson, who signed a hardship contract with the Sparks on Friday saw action in the second and fourth quarters, spelling Canada, who played all 40 minutes against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday. Henderson was a national champion at South Carolina before spending her rookie season with the Indiana Fever in 2022.

“I think Destanni Henderson belongs in this league and you have to fight your way through your own journey but I think she has a lot of talent and I’m excited to have her until we get some of our injured players back,” Miller shared.

Henderson finished with two points, three assists, and one rebound in six minutes and made it her mission to be a spark off the bench.

“(I) just want to keep building from that,” Henderson said. “I feel like I put in great minutes but it’s still not done yet. I have to put in a lot more work, study the game plan here, build connections with everybody, so I feel like that’s what I need to do.”

The Sparks will host the Minnesota Lynx (3-8) Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena, which will be their third time playing each other in a ten-day span.

LA Sparks PG Destanni Henderson said it was important for her to be a spark off the bench against the Connecticut Sun. @dh3nny #WNBA #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/SxT81X11TK

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 19, 2023

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Orange County Register