Sparks Fall as Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever Get First Win

Cameron Brink and the Los Angeles Sparks (1-2) hosted #1 pick Caitlin Clark as the Indiana Fever (0-5) came into Crypto.com Arena Friday evening. The Clark effect moved the game from the Sparks’ regular home in Long Beach back to Los Angeles, with the team expecting Clark mania to reach a fever pitch, pun intended, bringing in more fans than their regular home in Long Beach could handle.

It was all Sparks in the first half with Los Angeles jumping on the Fever early, taking a 22-15 lead after the first quarter of play. Cameron Brink was a big focal point in the first quarter either rebounding, assisting, or scoring. Dearica Hamby was the second of the one-two punch. Unlike their previous five games, however, the Fever kept the deficit in the single digits for most of the half.

The Fever’s defense held the Sparks to only nine points halfway through the second. Hamby turned it on in the second portion of the second quarter finishing the half with 16 points and the Sparks led by 11 going into halftime.

After halftime, the Fever started to take control with Aliyah Boston and the defense taking over, gong on an 11-0 run to start the third quarter. The Sparks rebounded a little and were able to keep the lead going into the fourth quarter, 56-53.

Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston took over in the fourth quarter. Cameron Brink had a few offensive fouls in the fourth quarter as the Fever started to get hot.

With one minute left in the game, and with a tough shooting night so far under her belt, Caitlin Clark came up with a big 3-pointer with 40 seconds left giving the Fever the 76-71 lead. Mitchell and her 18 points closed it out from there, sealing it with two made free throws with 12 seconds to go. Hamby got a jumper late, but the game was over by then.

Led by last year’s Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston and sharpshooter Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana put the Los Angeles Sparks and Cameron Brink away knocking the Sparks down to (1-3). The Indiana Fever finally got in the win column going to (1-5).

What was thought to be a matchup of the top two picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft, it turned out that the veterans had more to say. Brink finished with 15 points and 9 rebounds on 55% shooting. Clark struggled scoring most of the game, but came up big late with that 3-point shot and finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists.

The Los Angeles Sparks will be hosting the Dallas Wings on Sunday at 6 p.m. back at Crypto.com Arena, then they have a date with Clark, Boston, Mitchell, and the Fever once again, this time back in Indianapolis on Tuesday at 4 p.m. pt.

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