LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Behind a season-high 10 3-pointers, the Los Angeles Sparks cruised past the Chicago Sky 94-69 on Sunday afternoon, winning back-to-back contests in their second of a three-game home stand.
The Sparks outscored the Sky in all four quarters and every player who saw action for Los Angeles scored, including five players who registered double-digit scoring performances. Riquna Williams led the way with 19 points for the Sparks and Diamond DeShields scored 23 for Chicago.
The Sky started the game on a 5-0 run, but the Sparks answered with an 11-0 run. Candace Parker either scored or assisted on every basket during the run, including a 3-point play of her own. Sydney Wiese – who did not see the court in the Sparks’ last two games – knocked down a 3-pointer to give Los Angeles a 24-21 lead heading into the second quarter. She’d finish with 11 points. Both teams shot over 50% from beyond the arc, with Chicago going 5-of-10 and Los Angeles going 4-of-7.
In the second period, Williams buried her third 3-pointer of the contest to put the Sparks up 27-21. Los Angeles held Chicago to just 25.6% from the field for the half, resulting in a 48-36 halftime advantage. Despite finishing the half going 7-of-16 from downtown, the Sky shot just 3-of-23 from inside the arc in the first two periods.
After the break, Parker nailed a pull-up 3 to put the Sparks up 51-36. A right-elbow jumper from Tierra Ruffin-Pratt marked the Sparks’ fourth game of the season with every player scoring. Los Angeles’ lead ballooned to 25 points – its largest of the game – after a 3-pointer by Ruffin-Pratt.
With the win, the Sparks hit .500 and handed the Sky their fourth loss in their last five games. About a third of the way into the season, the Sparks currently sit at fifth behind the Las Vegas Aces in the league’s standings.