A sold-out crowd saw Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever triumph over the hometown Los Angeles Sparks, 78-73.
Despite the defeat, the Sparks got good games from their top players. Dearica Hamby had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, Cameron Brink had 15 points and nine boards and Rickea Jackson continues to score, registering 16 points off the bench. The Sparks are now 1-3 on the season.
Brink got going immediately offensively, something she hadn’t done in previous games. She started the opening quarter going 3-for-5 from the field, scoring 10 points and helping Los Angeles take an early 14-7 lead.
Not to be outdone by the rookie, Dearica Hamby was explosive for the rest of the first half, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists. With the Fever struggling, shooting 33 percent from the field, the Sparks held a comfortable 22-15 lead after one. Both teams settled down a bit during the second quarter, exchanging baskets, with the Sparks extending their lead to 11 heading into the halftime break, leading 45-34.
Indiana woke up to start the third quarter, going on an 11-0 run with Los Angeles unable to buy a basket. Rickea Jackson ended the run with a 3-pointer at the top of the key, but at that point, the Fever were very much back into the game. Brink…
