Sparks rally in fourth quarter to beat the Mystics

WASHINGTON — Dearica Hamby had 24 points and 14 rebounds for her 48th career double-double and Rickea Jackson scored 20 of her 22 points in the second half as the Sparks beat the Washington Mystics 93-86 on Tuesday night.

The Sparks (9-14) have won three straight games, including back-to-back victories over Washington (11-12), before and after the All-Star break.

L.A. led 81-78 before scoring nine straight points, capped by Hamby’s baseline jumper with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter for a 12-point lead. Kelsey Plum sealed it on a long three-pointer with 49.1 seconds left.

Plum finished with 11 points and three three-pointers. Jackson made four of the Sparks’ 13 threes.

Brittney Sykes led Washington with 18 points, Shakira Austin scored 17 and Kiki Iriafen added 13. Sonia Citron, Washington’s second-leading scorer at 14.1 points per game, finished with seven points, five assists and three steals. Citron did not attempt her first shot from the field until midway through the third quarter.

Washington was held to just nine points in the second quarter and trailed 40-35 after opening the game on an 18-3 run. It was the second-lowest point total allowed by Los Angeles in a quarter this season.

Sykes made a fast-break layup with 0.2 seconds left in the third to tie the score at 67. The Mystics were outscored 26-19 in the fourth.