Sparks hold off Liberty rally, knock off top team in WNBA and snap losing streak

It’s been a rough season for the Sparks, and they found themselves in another dogfight on Wednesday, this time against the New York Liberty, the team with the best record in the WNBA.

Instead of a second-half meltdown like the one they suffered against the Dallas Wings on Sunday, they punched back en route to a 94-88 win at Crypto.com Arena.

Every time Liberty stars Sabrina Ionescu or Breanna Stewart made a play, someone on the Sparks would step up to get momentum back. Whether it was Rickea Jackson hitting a three, Dearica Hamby driving to the hoop for a tough layup or Rae Burrell knocking down a jumper, the Sparks always had an answer.

Jackson, who came off a career-high 25-point performance on Sunday, got the Sparks off to a quick start with 13 points in the first quarter to help the team build a 26-14 lead.

Read more: Sparks star Dearica Hamby helps U.S. rally for bronze medal in 3×3 basketball

The Sparks thrived on defense through the first two quarters, forcing 12 turnovers and scoring 18 points off of them, leading by as many as 14.

And when the Liberty came roaring back in the second half, Hamby (21 points, six rebounds and five assists) and Burrell (18 points and five rebounds) stole the show. They drove the final nail in the coffin late in the fourth when Burrell was fouled on a turnaround jumper, made the shot and converted the free throw to tie her career high in points and extend the Sparks’ lead to eight points. Hamby cut through the defense on the next possession for the layup to put the Sparks back up by double digits and seal their eventual win.

It’s the Sparks first victory since July 15, snapping a seven-game losing streak, and their first home win since July 5. They are far from vying for playoff contention, but a statement win against the best team in the league can build some momentum — and confidence — for a young squad down the final stretch of the season.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.