Los Angeles – On a night that honored the WNBA’s first game 30 seasons ago, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike brought the house down with a buzzer-beating three-point shot that sealed the 98-97 win over the New York Liberty.
The Sparks had rallied from 17 points down and trailed by two entering the last play of the game. Ogwumike’s long shot from the left corner made the crowd of 18,043, and the LA player alumni in attendance, roar – a rumbling that continued until well after the horn.
“Everyone in our locker room wouldn’t have picked another person to hit that shot,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said.
Ogwumike shed tears afterwards, and said she was moved by the many past players for the franchise speaking to the team, and coming ot the game.
“It’s emotional seeing all these legends in the building,” she said. “People that didn’t get paid their value, and they’re still coming here and supporting us. I’m so grateful.”
The two teams tipped off the first game of the league’s 29th season on June 21, 1997 at the Forum in Inglewood, California, where New York won 67-57. For most of the night Sunday, it looked like history was set to repeat itself, as the visitors had a 12-point lead at halftime, and padded it even more in the third quarter before LA began to play tighter defense and make critical shots.
“They came out hot in the third quarter, and we were able to secure rebounds,” Roberts said. “We were pushing pace.”
Ogwumike, who finished with a team-high 24 points, tied the score at 93 with 1:27 remaining. But Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, who had 18 points on the night, missed two critical free throws in the final stretch, opening the door for the Sparks to steal the win.
All five LA starters scored in double figures, as did reserve Rae Burrell, who had 19 points. Jonquel Jones also had 18 points for New York.
After receiving congratulations from her teammates, Ogwumike stepped off the court to hug some of the Sparks veterans. Then she made her way to former star center Lisa Leslie, who gave her a towel for her tears while talking to her.
Roberts said it is hard to quantify the impact that Ogwumike has on the team, both as a leader and a player.
“What she’s done in our league….she’s one of one,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to articulate all she’s done. There’s a presence to her, a gravity in the way she speaks. She holds people accountable in a way that everybody listens.”
Both teams now hit the road, with New York facing the Aces on Tuesday, and LA taking on the Tempo Thursday.
