CHICAGO — The Sparks shook off a slow start, but they couldn’t keep pace with the Chicago Sky in the decisive fourth quarter in a 95-88 loss on Wednesday night.
Natasha Cloud, Kamilla Cardoso and Jacy Sheldon each scored 15 points, Elizabeth Williams added 14 points off the bench and rookie Aicha Coulibaly scored a season-high 13 for Chicago (12-19). Cloud had nine of the Sky’s 28 assists.
The Sky (12-19) moved into a virtual tie with the Sparks for ninth place in the WNBA standings, six games behind the Washington Mystics for the league’s final playoff spot. Chicago also secured the head-to-head tiebreaker by winning two of three games.
Dearica Hamby had 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Sparks (11-18), who lost for the seventh time in the past eight games. Erica Wheeler added 14 points and five assists, and Rae Burrell had 13 points and five assists. Nneka Ogwumike was held to 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting to go with seven rebounds and three steals, while Cameron Brink added 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks shots.
After scoring 33 points in the first quarter while building a 14-point lead, Chicago managed just 28 combined points in the second and third as the Sparks climbed back into the game. Hamby contributed four points and a block during a 13-2 Sparks run that opened the third period, and the Sparks held a 62-61 lead entering the fourth.
The Sky regained the lead on a DiJonai Carrington layup with 8:32 remaining, and a Sheldon 3-pointer extended the advantage to nine points with 5:28 left as Chicago took control with a 13-3 run. The Sparks went three-plus minutes without a field goal during that stretch, and the Sky led by as many as 14 points down the stretch.
Chicago scored 34 points in the fourth while shooting 12 for 15 from the field.
Sheldon shined while starting in place of leading scorer Sydney Taylor, who sat out with a left groin injury she sustained during a home loss to Phoenix on Monday. Sheldon established her touch in the second quarter, contributing nine points on 3-for-5 shooting.
The Sky shot 61.1% from the field in the first quarter and still held a 10-point lead at halftime despite slumping to 37.5% in the second quarter.
Chicago led by as many as 15 points in the first half as crisp ball movement and disciplined defense paved the way. The Sky had 15 assists on their 17 field goals before intermission. Chicago limited Ogwumike, the Sparks’ leading scorer after their recent trade of All-Star guard Kelsey Plum, to four first-half points.
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The Sparks play at Minnesota on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT.