Hamby, Jackson power Sparks past Mystics for first consecutive wins of season

Dearica Hamby scored 26 points and Rickea Jackson added 22 as the Los Angeles Sparks cruised to a dominant 99-80 victory over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night, marking their first back-to-back wins of the season. The win also gave the Sparks a season-high point total and their third home victory of the year.


Los Angeles exploded in the first half, leading 59-34 at the break after closing the second quarter on a 13-0 run—capped by 10 straight points from Hamby. Jackson had earlier fueled the surge with a three-point play. The Sparks opened the quarter with an 11-2 run and never looked back.



Kelsey Plum chipped in 20 points, while Azura Stevens contributed 15 points and eight rebounds. Julie Allemand dished out 10 assists with just one turnover, helping LA shoot a sizzling 53.5% from the field.


The Mystics, aiming for a fourth straight win, couldn’t keep pace after a disastrous second quarter in which they managed only 12 points. Sharika Austin led Washington with 16 points, while Sug Sutton and Aaliyah Edwards added 14 and 13 respectively. The Mystics were plagued by 17 turnovers, despite hitting 8 of 21 from three-point range.


This matchup was the first of two consecutive meetings between the teams, with the rematch set for next Tuesday. The Sparks enter the All-Star break with renewed confidence, riding a wave of offensive rhythm and strong team play.