LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lindsey Allen scored 16 points, Camila Cardozo and rookie Angel Reese had double-doubles, and the Chicago Sky rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Los Angeles 90-86 on Saturday, snapping a five-game home losing streak for the Sparks.
Chicago (11-15) trailed 74-64 at the start of the final quarter, but Allen’s turnaround jumper and Rachel Banham’s 3-pointer cut the Sky deficit in half with 61 seconds remaining. Cardozo followed with a layup, giving Chicago its first seven points. Odyssey Sims answered with a layup for Los Angeles (6-20), but Reese’s layup and Cardozo’s two inside scores gave the Sky a 77-76 lead with 6:35 left.
Stephanie Talbot tied the Sparks at 79 with a 3-pointer at 4:43. Reese made 1 of 2 free throws to give Chicago the lead, and Michaela Onyenwere followed with a layup and the Sky never trailed again.
Allen made 7 of 11 shots for Chicago. She added six assists. Cardoso scored 15 points and had 14 rebounds, Reese had 14 points and 11 boards. Banham hit three 3-pointers and had 14 points.
Kia Nurse led the Sparks with 16 points, who have lost their last five games against the Sky. LA has lost three straight overall. Rickea Jackson and Talbot each added 13 points. Crystal Dangerfield had 11 points and six assists. Azurá Stevens had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Sparks took their first lead of the game on a layup by Dearica Hamby with 2:51 remaining in the first quarter, 20-18. Chennedy Carter capped a 6-0 run with back-to-back points to help the Sky take a 26-25 lead after one period.
Nurse had 13 points in the first half and hit a 3-pointer with 4:49 left in the second quarter to put the Sparks ahead 35-33. Nurse made five straight free throws to make it 43-38. Chicago twice got within one point, but Dangerfield hit a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to put LA ahead 46-42.
Banham opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer for Sky, but Stevens answered with a 3 of his own, and the Sparks held on to the lead. Dana Evans connected from beyond the 3-point line to put Chicago up 66-64 with 2:06 left. Talbot had three layups in an 8-0 run that gave LA a 10-point lead in the final 10 minutes.
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CHICAGO: The Sky travel to play the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday.
LOS ANGELES: The Sparks are on the road to play the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.
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