Plum and Ogwumike hold off Torontos late comeback attempts

After falling behind by 19 early, the Toronto Tempo cut the deficit to one possession in the final minute, but the comeback fell short in a 99-95 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, as L.A. got their first win of the season.

Kelsey Plum led the Sparks (1-2) with 27 points and nine assists, while Nneka Ogwumike added 20 points and five rebounds. Dearica Hamby chipped in 19 points and seven boards.

Brittney Sykes matched Plum with 27 points and added seven assists for Toronto (1-2). Nyara Sabally finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Laura Juskaite scored 16 off the bench. Rookie Kiki Rice added 11 points.

After opening the season with back-to-back 26 and 27-point performances, Marina Mabrey struggled to find her rhythm. She scored just two first-half points and finished with seven. 

Mabrey missed the game-tying three-pointer with 27 seconds left before Plum iced the game at the free-throw line.

Toronto’s first road game in franchise history got off to a rough start. The Sparks opened on a 21-2 run and built a 19-point lead midway through the first quarter. 

L.A. carried a 28-17 lead into the second after Toronto closed the frame on a 9-0 run, capped by Mabrey’s first bucket of the night.

Sykes and Julie Allemand sparked the Tempo defensively with steals and transition buckets, helping Toronto claw back within eight before halftime. But Ogwumike controlled both ends of the floor, and Plum kept the offence rolling as the Sparks took a 46-38 lead into the break.

The Sparks came out flying again in the third. 

A 12-3 run pushed the lead back to 17 as Toronto struggled offensively and Sykes battled foul trouble. Cameron Brink made her presence felt defensively, while Rice knocked down another three to help Toronto stay within striking distance.

Toronto trimmed the deficit to 74-63 heading into the fourth, then opened the final quarter on a 10-5 run to cut the lead to four. Every time the Tempo threatened, Plum answered.

Sykes, Sabally, and Juskaite fueled Toronto’s late push. With just over two minutes left, Sykes finished through contact in transition to make it a two-point game, but Ogwumike answered with a clutch and-one on the other end.

Juskaite and Sykes kept pace with Plum late, but the Sparks closed it out at the free-throw line to secure the win.

The two teams meet again on Sunday.