Freeman Coliseum – The San Antonio Stars have not had much success on the road this season, but they have been cooking at home. After two consecutive road loss, the silver and black returned home and and continued their winning ways inside the friendly confines.
Danielle Robinson had a game-high 22 points and eight assists as the Stars defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 70-63 in front of 3,100 fans at the Freeman Coliseum on Wednesday night.
Sophia Young-Malcolm and Danielle Adams added 11 points each for San Antonio, who won their third straight at home. The Stars were without Kayla McBride (foot), Alex Montgomery (knee) and Jia Perkins (calf). Jayne Appel returned after missing the previous three games with a mouth injury.
“Under the circumstances I think our team really bought into what we were trying to do,” Stars head coach Dan Hughes said. “All nine players did kind of what we need to do to be successful. I feel good for what they collectively could do, the nine of them. We actually didn’t start out real well with our starters. Our bench gave us a lift and then kind of carried over in the second half.”
Samantha Logic made her San Antonio debut after being acquired from Atlanta on Monday. She finished with three rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes.
The Sparks were led by Jantel Lavender’s 19 points. Nneka Ogwumike added 16 points and Kristi Toliver chipped in 10 for Los Angeles (2-9), who remained winless on the road.
“It’s challenging, but at the same time you just have to do the little things,” Lavender said. “You have to box out, you have to get those loose balls, you have to do the smalls things that may never have to do at home with the crowd behind you. We haven’t been able to get over that hump. Doing the little things, getting those loose balls, getting those rebounds that are clutch in a game, and getting stops.”
Los Angeles was outscored 40-26 in the paint, but outscored San Antonio 14-6 in second chance points.
The Stars are now 3-8 on the season and will return to the court on Friday when they travel to Indiana to face Tamika Catchings and the Fever at 6 p.m. inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
