Mabika’s Performance Energizes Sparks, 91-81
Mwadi Mabika, a 6-foot, 22-year-old from The Congo, continues to grow in stature.
One night after scoring 18 points in the Sparks’ double-overtime victory at Minneapolis, Mabika made consecutive three-point baskets that spurred an exhausted Sparks team to a surprising 91-81 victory over the Detroit Shock before 7,681 at The Palace.
Mabika’s long-range display capped a 10-0 burst that gave the Sparks a 75-68 lead with 6 1/2 minutes remaining. It was the fourth victory in a row for the Sparks (7-4), who are 5-3 on the road after this two-game trip.
Plainly, they are building a head of steam for a July 18 WNBA Western Conference showdown with Houston (9-1) at the Forum--the first of six consecutive Forum home games.
Detroit led, 68-65, with eight minutes left when Gordana Grubin scored a layup and Allison Feaster made two free throws, setting the table for Mabika.
From the top of the key on the right side, she drained back-to-back jumpers, sending Spark coaches and players on the sideline into a joyful celebration and Detroit Coach Nancy Lieberman-Cline into a fury.
Hers was the team that had three days’ rest.
“At that point in the game, we thought we had Mabika’s perimeter game under control,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘We’re letting L.A. hang around in this game and this is not good.’ ”
Detroit (5-5) called a timeout, but never got back in the game.
Back-to-back road victories notwithstanding, the Sparks can’t be content to rest on their laurels.
“We’ll give ‘em [today] off because it’s a travel day, but we will practice Sunday,” Coach Orlando Woolridge said.
Like everyone else in the Los Angeles contingent, he was thrilled with Mabika’s twin three-pointers.
“You could just see what she did to the game . . . it gave us an instant charge of energy.”
Mabika finished with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and six steals. Lisa Leslie, bouncing back from a subpar outing in Minneapolis, was in foul trouble again but had 18 points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Grubin continued to challenge for Tamecka Dixon’s starting spot at guard. She had 14 points in 25 minutes, Dixon seven in 23.
Point guard Ukari Figgs, who sprained an ankle at Minneapolis, didn’t dress for the game.
Sandy Brondello led the Shock with 21, and reserve Korie Hlede added 17. Dominique Canty had 14 points despite missing her first nine field-goal attempts.
Around the League
The Charlotte Sting traded Rhonda Mapp to Houston for Kara Wolters, who is out because of a knee injury.
The Sting made the deal to strengthen its size and strength underneath the boards, according to Coach Marynell Meadors.
The 6-2 Mapp, a former North Carolina State star, was Charlotte’s starting center for the first five games this season before sitting out the sixth game because of flu. She played seven minutes in the Sting’s 68-63 loss to Washington on Wednesday.
The 6-7 Wolters, a star at Connecticut, has been out since June 21 because of a right knee injury. She was expected to miss four weeks.