Sparks Struggle Against Seattle, Despite Career Night for Li Yueru
By: D’Joumbarey A. Moreau
The Los Angeles Sparks faced a tough challenge last night, falling to one of the league’s best teams in the Seattle Storm, 95-79, during their Commissioner’s Cup matchup. Despite the loss, the Sparks had standout performances worth noting, particularly from Li Yueru and Dearica Hamby.
Li Yueru’s Breakthrough Performance
Li Yueru, who is blossoming into a very solid rotation player, had a career night, scoring a career-high 18 points. Yueru was grateful for the support from her teammates and coaches, emphasizing her desire to learn and improve. Reflecting on her growing contributions, she said, “This is my first year in LA, and everyone has helped me feel comfortable. My teammates and coaches support me a lot, and I’m trying to give more energy and more to our team.”
Yueru’s determination and gratitude were evident as she emphasized her desire to learn and improve, looking up to players like Nneka Ogwumike. “I have a lot of teammates who help create chances for me. I appreciate them and my coach. I know I still have mistakes, but I’m here to learn and improve. I look up to players like Nneka and Dame, and I want to learn to be a great post player like them.”
Skylar Diggins-Smith (#4) of the Seattle Storm drives to the basket against Li Yueru (#28) and Aari McDonald (#15) of the Los Angeles Sparks during a game at Climate Pledge Arena Game Recap
Seattle held the lead the entire game, but the Sparks stayed competitive until the ending minutes. The Storm held a 76-70 lead when Nneka Ogwumike hit a crucial 3-pointer at the 2:41 mark, propelling a decisive 10-0 run. Skylar Diggins-Smith and Jewell Loyd added key clutch buckets late, sealing the victory for Seattle.
Ogwumike, a former member of the Sparks, led the Storm with a season-high 26 points, complemented by eight rebounds and two blocked shots. Loyd and Diggins-Smith contributed 21 and 19 points, respectively, with Diggins-Smith adding six assists and five rebounds.
Sparks’ Highlights
Dearica Hamby continued her amazing season. She recorded her 10th double-double, notching 16 points and 11 rebounds. Point guard Aari McDonald, who also added 15 points, praised the team’s effort, saying, “We’re figuring out our roles and bringing intensity on both ends. We practice hard, and it’s starting to translate into the games.” Additionally, she mentioned, “The bench is really stepping up, and we’re gelling well together. We’re learning each other’s tendencies, and it’s paying off on the court.”
Looking Forward
Despite the loss, the Sparks have reasons for optimism. The team showed once again resilience, effort, and growth with key individual performances. Reflecting on the game, McDonald said, “Shout out to Seattle; they’re a very good defensive team. But moving forward, we cannot let teams beat us up like this. We fought pretty hard for three and a half quarters, but we’ve got things to clean up. It’s back to the drawing board for us,” when asked by D’Joumbarey A. Moreau.
“Li Yueru (#28) of the Los Angeles Sparks drives to the basket against Mercedes Russell of the Seattle Storm during their game at Climate Pledge Arena.”
As the Sparks continue to develop chemistry and work on their game, they remain focused on bouncing back stronger in their next match-ups. With players like Li Yueru stepping up and the bench showing significant improvement, the team is poised to turn things around.
