Lexie Brown scored 20 points, Dearica Hamby added a double-double with 17 points and 18 rebounds and rookie Cameron Brink had two huge blocks in the closing seconds as the Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Washington Mystics 70-68 on Tuesday night at Walter Pyramid.
Los Angeles (1-2) earned their first win of the season while Washington fell to 0-4 on the year with the loss.
“We needed that one,” Sparks guard Lexie Brown said, “bad.”
Brown made three 3-pointers and added six assists to lead the Sparks. Kia Nurse had 13 and Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, finished with four points and eight rebounds but was a terror on the defensive end with three steals and four blocks.
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Brink currently has 11 blocks in her first three games, leading the WNBA.
“Her presence down low has been so game changing for me personally as a guard,” said Brown. “We can get up and ball pressure a little more, be more physical and aggressive… she’s been great.”
Shakira Austin and Julie Vanloo finished with 12 points apiece for the Mystics while Aaliyah Edwards added 10. Vanloo also added eight assists for Washington.
Los Angeles led 24-23 after the first quarter, but Washington led 36-29 after Vanloo made a three-pointer and Austin made a free-throw and jump shot to cap an 11-0 run with 1:15 left in the second period. The Mystics went on to lead 36-32 at halftime.
“We’re young, we’re going to make mistakes,” said Sparks coach Curt Miller. “We’re not going to look aesthetically great in the month of May, but we’ll get better and better.”
Hamby was huge for the Sparks to open the second half, scoring 14 of her 17 points in the third quarter to help Los Angeles outscore Washington 23-19 in the period, tying the game at 55-55 going into the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles started the fourth on a 10-1 run after Stefanie Dolson made a three-pointer and Brown converted a jumper with 5:48 remaining to take a 65-56 advantage. The Mystics went on to rally late as they got within one, 69-68 after an Atkins layup with 10.2 seconds left to play.
Nurse split a pair of free throws to give the Sparks a 70-68 lead with 7.1 seconds left but it was Brink who was able to deny Austin at the rim with back-to-back blocks, clinching the Sparks first victory of the season.
“I learned we have a tough group,” Miller said.
