Nneka Ogwumike's Buzzer-beater Gives Sparks A Big Win Over Liberty

Nneka Ogwumike called game.

The 10-time WNBA All-Star and Sparks guardant deed a buzzer-beating three-point changeable to springiness the Sparks an electric 98-97 come-from-behind win complete nan New York Liberty connected Sunday astatine Crypto.com Arena.

In a rematch of nan WNBA’s first-ever crippled from June 21, 1997, nan Sparks overcame a 17-point Liberty lead, each while celebrating nan inaugural matchup — and iconic alumni — that changed women’s sports forever.

Ogwumike led nan measurement pinch a game-high 24 points connected 11 of 18 shooting while nan remainder of nan starting lineup — Dearica Hamby, Erica Wheeler, Kelsey Plum and Ariel Atkins — each vanished successful double figures. Guard Rae Burrell besides scored 19 disconnected nan bench.

Sparks caput coach Lynne Roberts said highly of her team’s locker room pregame, moreover arsenic L.A. entered riding a two-game losing streak. But nan Sparks continued to fight, arsenic Roberts expected, yet beating nan No. 2 squad successful nan Eastern Conference.

“I deliberation it’s good,” Roberts said. “I wish we were afloat healthy. Not having [Cameron Brink] is simply a large loss, aliases an impactful absence. But we sewage KP. And obviously, arsenic you guys know, she’s nan caput of nan snake. So that gives us, nan full group, a small much assurance … a small swagger, possibly that’s nan correct word.

“But nan temper is good. We’ve had immoderate awesome wins and immoderate reliable losses … it’s nan process. You person to enactment coming and not freak retired aliases panic … We’ve sewage awesome group successful that locker room.”

Without Brink, who remains retired aft suffering an ankle sprain against Golden State, nan Sparks were gladsome to person Plum back. L.A. entered pinch a 6-0 grounds successful games erstwhile Plum recorded six-plus assists, and nan four-time WNBA All-Star, successful her return from a one-game absence owed to a limb injury, vanished pinch 7 to spell pinch 12 points.

New York led for astir of nan nighttime contempt a acold crippled from defender Sabrina Ionescu, who vanished pinch a quiet 2 points. The remainder of nan Liberty’s starting 5 — Breanna Stewart, Satou Sabally, Leonie Fiebich and Jonquel Jones — delivered, though, pinch a mixed 63 points.

“Well, they’re big,” Roberts said pregame of nan Liberty. “I deliberation nan unsocial point is New York is immense each nan measurement across, and truthful that enables them to do immoderate things that are unique. I deliberation nan different point they’re doing is putting (Jones) and Stewie successful benignant of lead defender positions. … They’ve sewage Hall of Famers complete there. It’s a talented roster, which presents problems successful and of itself, but they’re a bully team.”

However, aft a halftime break honoring Sparks and Liberty legends for illustration Lisa Leslie and Teresa Weatherspoon, among galore others astatine halfcourt, L.A. was rejuvenated for nan last 20 minutes. And aft rapper Warren G performed aft nan 3rd quarter, nan Sparks — and their crowd — had each nan momentum successful nan world. Ogwumike conscionable delivered nan icing connected nan cake.

Sunday, earlier thing else, was a ceremony of nan WNBA’s beingness and nan pioneers who fought to bring nan crippled to its existent standing.

“Just cognize that we ne'er took a time for granted,” Leslie said astatine halftime. “We admit each moment, each day, each infinitesimal that you guys supported nan WNBA from New York to L.A. and everyplace successful between.”

But aft Ogwumike’s game-winner? WNBA fans exited Sunday’s crippled spoiled.