The Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Chicago Sky 102-87 on Friday night at home. Nneka Ogwumike led the way with 25 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
The Sparks improved to 10-11 on the season with the win. All five of their starters scored in double figures. Dearica Hamby added 17 points, while Rae Burrell and Ariel Atkins each scored 17. Erica Wheeler finished with 15 points and eight assists.
Ogwumike reached a career milestone during the game by making her 3,000th field goal. She scored a three pointer in the fourth quarter that helped the Sparks extend their lead to 90-80. Her rebounding and scoring inside helped control the paint for much of the contest.
The game stayed close through the first three quarters. The Sky led 29-28 after the first period. The Sparks outscored Chicago 25-19 in the second to take a halftime lead of 53-48. Chicago responded in the third quarter with a 22-20 edge, keeping the margin tight.
Los Angeles pulled away in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Sky 29-17. Hamby contributed key baskets late, including a driving layup that pushed the lead to double digits and a reverse layup with under two minutes remaining. She also blocked a shot by Courtney Vandersloot in the closing moments.
The Sparks shot 51 percent from the field overall and made 14 of 31 three pointers. Chicago struggled from long range, hitting just 6 of 25 attempts.
For the Sky, Kamilla Cardoso, Gabriela Jaquez and Sydney Taylor each scored 15 points. Azura Stevens and Jacy Sheldon added 10 points apiece.
The Sparks played without Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink due to injuries. Chicago was missing Skylar Diggins. Despite those absences, Los Angeles showed balance across its starting lineup and strong execution in the final period to secure the victory. The win marked the team’s second straight at home.
Ogwumike’s all around performance anchored the effort, combining scoring efficiency with rebounding work on both ends. The Sparks collective output from multiple players created consistent pressure on Chicago’s defense throughout the game.