The Sparks Eclipsed By Sun In Front Of Huge Crowd In Boston.

In a thrilling game that marked the WNBA’s first appearance in Boston, DiJonai Carrington led the Connecticut Sun’s late surge as they rallied past the Los Angeles Sparks with a close score of 69-61 on Tuesday night, August 20.

Connecticut’s Brionna Jones contributed 15 points, helping the team overcome a challenging shooting performance. With Tyasha Harris adding 14 points and Alyssa Thomas stuffing the stat sheet with nine points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals, the Sun displayed their remarkable teamwork.

Los Angeles’ Azura Stevens and Rickea Jackson fought valiantly, scoring 14 points each. However, it was Dearica Hamby’s three-point play that momentarily awarded the Sparks a 59-55 lead with only 4:15 left in the fourth quarter. Hamby’s points turned out to be the last ones for the Sparks as Connecticut went on an impressive 14-0 run to seal the victory. Jackson managed to score two meaningless free throws with 12.4 seconds remaining to bring the final score to 69-61 in favor of the Sun.

The turning point in the game came when Alyssa Thomas secured a key three-point play, putting the Sun ahead with 3:21 left on the clock. A layup from DiJonai Carrington and a pull-up jumper from Marina Mabrey further solidified Connecticut’s lead.

Despite shooting only 38.4 percent from the field and being outrebounded 42-36, the Sun capitalized on the Sparks’ 22 turnovers, which resulted in 20 points for Connecticut.

A sellout crowd of 19,125 fans witnessed an intense battle between the two teams. The Sparks scored the first five points of the game, but the Sun quickly responded with a 15-4 run, taking a six-point lead in the first quarter. However, the Sparks closed the period with an 11-2 run, leading 20-17.

In the second quarter, the Sun tightened their defense and found their offensive rhythm. Brionna Jones contributed with two layups and also set up DiJonai Carrington for another layup. Tyasha Harris’ three-pointer just before the horn gave Connecticut a 41-35 lead at halftime.

Both teams struggled on offense in the third quarter, combining for a mere 23 points. The Sparks were plagued by turnovers, while the Sun’s poor shooting prevented them from pulling away. DeWanna Bonner’s two free throws with 52.7 seconds left in the quarter extended Connecticut’s lead to 53-46 going into the final period.