{"id":267796,"date":"2025-11-03T00:02:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T00:02:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/267796\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T00:02:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T00:02:24","slug":"dearica-hamby-and-kelsey-plum-lift-sparks-to-win-over-seattle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/267796\/","title":{"rendered":"Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum lift Sparks to win over Seattle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Less than 10 days ago, the Seattle Storm and the Sparks<\/a> battled deep into a second overtime \u2014 the first of the 2025 WNBA season \u2014 wringing every drop of drama out of Climate Pledge Arena. On Sunday night, the same stakes were at play as the teams tried to strengthen their playoff chances.<\/p>\n

The intensity didn\u2019t let up till the final horn. With 5.6 seconds left, Dearica Hamby<\/a> roared into the paint and scored on a driving layup to put the Sparks ahead for good. After the Storm missed their final chance to win, pandemonium spilled onto the floor \u2014 Sparks players leaping into one another\u2019s arms, fans hollering over the hardwood, chanting \u201cHamby\u201d in celebration of the Sparks\u2019 94-91 victory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re playing for that kind of game,\u201d said guard Julie Allemand<\/a>, who had eight assists, \u201cit\u2019s exciting to play that kind of game. At the end, when you make the great shot that we need, it\u2019s a great feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sparks managed to rally after falling into a 16-point deficit in the first quarter, perhaps a symptom of playing on back-to-back nights.<\/p>\n

Then came Kelsey Plum<\/a> \u2014 who finished with 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds \u2014 bending her game in every direction to haul the Sparks to their ninth win in 11 games.<\/p>\n

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts<\/a> has painted Plum as a shape-shifter \u2014 able to twist her game into whatever the game demands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what your best players should do \u2014 get everybody else involved and make sure we\u2019re flowing,\u201d Roberts said before the game, \u201cand then when they need you, you step up. She\u2019s done a tremendous job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trailing the Storm (16-16) by 17 in the first quarter, Plum, who still hadn\u2019t scored yet, tore into a one-on-five fast break, freezing the defense with a hesitation at the arc and a glide into the basket for a three-point play. Seconds later, Plum created another opportunity off an extended right elbow, drilling a three-pointer in Erica Wheeler\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\"Sparks <\/p>\n

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, right, drives against Seattle guard Brittney Sykes in the fourth quarter Sunday.<\/p>\n

(Luke Hales \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been known as a scorer and I learned that over time, your impact on the game a lot of time is because you can score, you\u2019re going to draw attention and find people,\u201d Plum said. \u201cOn the run we\u2019ve been on, we\u2019re better when I\u2019m kind of doing both.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the spurt of momentum the Sparks (15-16) needed to overcome a sputtering start.<\/p>\n

Playing the entire first half, Plum went from the table-setter to shot-maker in the second quarter \u2014 springing Rae Burrell<\/a> for a corner three before splashing a triple to tie the score 29-29 with 6:30 left in the second quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeadership is hard, figuring out when to push, when to pull, when to give it up, when to take it over,\u201d Roberts said. \u201c[Plum] just continues to get better and better at it. … She\u2019s so competitive and wants to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Azur\u00e1 Stevens and Cameron Brink were strong in the key early, but the Sparks clanked jumpers, dribbled into traffic and watched offensive possessions die on the rim in addition to committing eight first-quarter turnovers. So Roberts rolled the dice on a smaller look \u2014 swapping her paint patrol of Stevens and Brink for guards Julie Vanloo and Burrell.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they go really big, we kind of went a little smaller with Rickea [Jackson] at the four,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cIt was a battle of wills \u2014 it seems like every time, like the last time we played them, back and forth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plum and Allemand kept the smaller unit in constant motion, whipping passes from wing to wing and slicing open lanes for Burrell and Jackson, while Vanloo, Allemand and Plum cashed in from beyond the arc. Roberts rode that group into the second quarter, and they eventually whittled the deficit.<\/p>\n

Hamby finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Stevens had 15 points and eight rebounds and Brink contributed 14 points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench.<\/p>\n

When the final buzzer faded, players were still grinning through hugs, and the crowd\u2019s \u201cHamby\u201d chants continued \u2014 excitement for a Sparks team that had yanked itself out of the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally proud of that bounce-back,\u201d Plum said. \u201cWe could have folded \u2014 especially early. But there\u2019s something to this team. We\u2019re young, we\u2019re competitive, we\u2019re hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

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