Sparks lose 7 of last 8 games after Sky's big fourth quarter
Rey Moralde
Host · Writer
CHICAGO — The Sparks were able to come back once. They just couldn't do it twice.
After coming back from 15 down to take the lead, the Sparks were once again ran over by a stampede from the Sky in the fourth quarter. The Sky went 12 for 15 in a ridiculous period and scored 34 points, enabling them to get the W, 95-88.
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts didn't like the first and the fourth quarters of play.
"I thought in the first quarter we came out a little flat. But we were just reacting to everything and I felt like the fourth quarter was a little bit of a play of that," Roberts said. "We had a couple bad minutes stretch where they went on a run and then defensively we just kind of died in the fourth. I'd have to watch it back to be more specific but that's what it felt like."
Cameron Brink came off the bench to score 11 points, grab six boards, and block three shots. But foul trouble limited her to 14 minutes.
"I've got to figure out the fouling. I've got to be more reliable," Brink admitted. "And, yeah, I mean, it's disappointing. I'm disappointed in myself. But we've just got to play tomorrow. So I'm going to figure it out."
There were some good spurts from the team even with the loss.
"I think mostly we were getting stops and playing in transition, which is when we're good," Sparks forward Dearica Hamby said. "And then I think when Ariel (Atkins) kind of got hit, it kind of slowed us down in stop momentum. They hit a big three and we probably should have fouled to stop the game. But I would just say just being able to play in transition."
Atkins got hurt in the fourth quarter in the rib area. The Sky took advantage and Jacy Sheldon made a three to put the Sky up, 91-82, at that point.
"Yeah, she took a good one to the ribs," Roberts answered when asked for an update on Atkins. "So she's being evaluated right now by the doctors."
As far as their new teammate, Monique Akoa Makani?
"Honestly, I think she's going to be an amazing fit for us," Brink said. "She's super coachable. She's already such a great teammate. Defensively, she's going to help us so much. So I know we're really, really happy to have her and we're just trying to make this transition as easy as possible for her."
The Sky had three players that 15 points each (Natasha Cloud, Kamilla Cardoso, Sheldon) to lead them in scoring. As for the Sparks, Dearica Hamby had a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Erica Wheeler scored 14 for Los Angeles.
The Sparks (11-18) have now lost seven of their last eight games. And they won't have much time to think about it as they're playing the Lynx in Minnesota not even 24 hours after the end of this game.
