Comets (1-10) defeat the Sparks

A five-game homestand starting Friday couldn’t come at a better time for the Sparks.

Losing their third in a row Wednesday night after a three-game winning streak, the Sparks turned the ball over 21 times to help the lowly Houston Comets to their first victory of the season, 74-64.

Michelle Snow had 21 points and Tina Thompson added 20 for the Comets.

Snow also had nine rebounds for the Comets (1-10), who never trailed in making amends for a 74-71 loss to the Sparks on June 13 at Staples Center.

Marta Fernandez scored 17 points for the Sparks (5-5). Christi Thomas added 13 points -- but only two after the first quarter -- for the Sparks, who return home Friday against Sacramento.

Houston pulled away on a 9-3 run to start the fourth quarter to give Coach Karleen Thompson her first victory.

The victory also ended the franchise’s first 10-game losing streak. Houston did not lose more than four games in a row at any stretch during the league’s first 10 years.

Trailing, 37-29, at halftime, the Sparks rallied in the third quarter and pulled to 43-41 with 5:38 left in the period as Mwadi Mabika made two free throws, capping a 12-6 run for the Sparks.

Fernandez, who scored only four points in the first half, scored the first eight points of the second half for the Sparks.

However, the Comets put down that threat by going on a 12-4 run to take a 55-45 lead.

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The Sparks made their second trade in a week, sending Lisa Willis, a reserve guard out of UCLA, to the New York Liberty for 5-foot-8 reserve guard Sherill Baker.

“She’s not like any other player that we have right now,” Sparks General Manager Penny Toler said of the 25-year-old Baker, averaging 1.7 points this season. “She plays defense, she can create her own shots, and she’s just a really exciting player to watch. I’m trying to build something here, and we’re going to keep on trying until we get it right.”

Willis, 23, was averaging 2.3 points.