Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum lift Sparks to another hard-fought win over Seattle

Less than 10 days ago, the Seattle Storm and the Sparks battled deep into a second overtime — the first of the 2025 WNBA season — wringing every drop of drama out of Climate Pledge Arena. On Sunday night, the same stakes were at play as the teams tried to strengthen their playoff chances.

The intensity didn’t let up till the final horn. With 5.6 seconds left, Dearica Hamby roared into the paint and scored on a driving layup to put the Sparks ahead for good. After the Storm missed their final chance to win, pandemonium spilled onto the floor — Sparks players leaping into one another’s arms, fans hollering over the hardwood, chanting “Hamby” in celebration of the Sparks’ 94-91 victory.

“We’re playing for that kind of game,” said guard Julie Allemand, who had eight assists, “it’s exciting to play that kind of game. At the end, when you make the great shot that we need, it’s a great feeling.”

The Sparks managed to rally after falling into a 16-point deficit in the first quarter, perhaps a symptom of playing on back-to-back nights.

Then came Kelsey Plum — who finished with 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds — bending her game in every direction to haul the Sparks to their ninth win in 11 games.

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts has painted Plum as a shape-shifter — able to twist her game into whatever the game demands.

“That’s what your best players should do — get everybody else involved and make sure we’re flowing,” Roberts said before the game, “and then when they need you, you step up. She’s done a tremendous job.”

Trailing the Storm (16-16) by 17 in the first quarter, Plum, who still hadn’t scored yet, tore into a one-on-five fast break, freezing the defense with a hesitation at the arc and a glide into the basket for a three-point play. Seconds later, Plum created another opportunity off an extended right elbow, drilling a three-pointer in Erica Wheeler’s face.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, right, drives against Seattle guard Brittney Sykes in the fourth quarter Sunday.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, right, drives against Seattle guard Brittney Sykes in the fourth quarter Sunday.

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

“I’ve always been known as a scorer and I learned that over time, your impact on the game a lot of time is because you can score, you’re going to draw attention and find people,” Plum said. “On the run we’ve been on, we’re better when I’m kind of doing both.”

It was the spurt of momentum the Sparks (15-16) needed to overcome a sputtering start.

Playing the entire first half, Plum went from the table-setter to shot-maker in the second quarter — springing Rae Burrell for a corner three before splashing a triple to tie the score 29-29 with 6:30 left in the second quarter.

“Leadership is hard, figuring out when to push, when to pull, when to give it up, when to take it over,” Roberts said. “[Plum] just continues to get better and better at it. … She’s so competitive and wants to win.”

Azurá Stevens and Cameron Brink were strong in the key early, but the Sparks clanked jumpers, dribbled into traffic and watched offensive possessions die on the rim in addition to committing eight first-quarter turnovers. So Roberts rolled the dice on a smaller look — swapping her paint patrol of Stevens and Brink for guards Julie Vanloo and Burrell.

“When they go really big, we kind of went a little smaller with Rickea [Jackson] at the four,” Roberts said. “It was a battle of wills — it seems like every time, like the last time we played them, back and forth.”

Plum and Allemand kept the smaller unit in constant motion, whipping passes from wing to wing and slicing open lanes for Burrell and Jackson, while Vanloo, Allemand and Plum cashed in from beyond the arc. Roberts rode that group into the second quarter, and they eventually whittled the deficit.

Hamby finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Stevens had 15 points and eight rebounds and Brink contributed 14 points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench.

When the final buzzer faded, players were still grinning through hugs, and the crowd’s “Hamby” chants continued — excitement for a Sparks team that had yanked itself out of the fire.

“Really proud of that bounce-back,” Plum said. “We could have folded — especially early. But there’s something to this team. We’re young, we’re competitive, we’re hungry.”

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