Team WNBA Shines in Record-Breaking WNBA All-Star Game

It is that time of the year: WNBA All-Star Weekend. This year, the all-star weekend took place in Phoenix. And it was only fitting that several players from the Phoenix Mercury represented the team in the all-star game: Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Kahleah Copper. All three players are representing the USA Olympic team. Griner and her teammate Sophie Cunningham were also part of the Skills Challenge.

Battle of the Cheryls

The head coach representing Team was Cheryl Miller, who was also the head coach and general manager of the Mercury from 1997-2000.

The head coach representing Team USA was Cheryl Reeve, currently the Minnesota Lynx’s head coach. This is her time coaching the USA Women’s basketball team for the Olympics.

Kicking Off in the First Half

Taurasi kicked it off with a three-pointer to get Team USA on the board first, and the crowd cheered her on. They started the game on a 6-0 run before Nneka Ogwumike scored Team WNBA’s first points.

It was a back-and-forth game, with the USA team leading for most of the first quarter. The all-stars did not take their first lead of the game until the end of the quarter, thanks to a putback layup from Angel Reese.

Team WNBA went on an 8-2 run before Team USA answered with a 12-4 run to retake the lead. The USA was led by as many as six, but the All-Stars continued to cut into the lead. It was a two-point game at the half, with Team USA leading.

Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 14 points and five rebounds, followed by A’ja Wilson with 13 points. Allisha Gray led Team WNBA with 12 points.

Third Quarter Masterclass

Team WNBA came out on a mission to start the second half. They began the third quarter on a 12-4 run to increase their lead. It was the Arike Ogunbowale show, and the fans were treated to a special masterclass.

After going scoreless in the first half, Ogunbowale scored 21 points in the third quarter. She shot 60% from the field and hit five threes. Even her all-star teammates were mesmerized by what they were seeing. Having the green light, no one on Team USA could stop her.

She was not the only one to go crazy in the third quarter, as Kelsey Mitchell also had an eventful showing. She scored nine points on 100% shooting, including a buzzer-beater to end the third quarter.

Team WNBA Does It Again

The game remained within single digits until Ogunbowale hit a three to begin the fourth quarter, which gave Team WNBA its first double-digit lead of the game. She continued her masterclass with 13 points in the fourth quarter, but she was not the only player who got it going.

Angel Reese scored eight points in the quarter, including a layup assisted by Caitlin Clark. 

Team USA was able to cut into Team WNBA’s lead thanks to Breanna Stewart scoring 13 points in the quarter and two back-to-back threes by Diana Taurasi. However, time was not on their side, and Team WNBA won.

Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 31 points and 10 rebounds. A’ja Wilson finished with 22 points on 61.5% FG, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Diana Taurasi finished with 14 points on 55.6% FG, six rebounds, and five assists. Brittney Griner finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Allisha Gray finished with 16 points and five steals. Nneka Ogwumike finished with 14 points on 77.8% FG. Kelsey Mitchell finished with 13 points on 75% FG and two steals.

All-Star MVP

Photo Courtesy: @WNBA/X

Arike Ogunbowale finished with 34 points, six assists, and hit eight threes. All of her points came in the second half. She broke the record for the most points scored in an All-Star game, which Jewell Loyd previously set in last year’s all-star game.

With her historic performance, it was only fitting that she was named the WNBA All-Star Game MVP. She joins Maya Moore, Lisa Leslie, and Swin Cash in winning the award multiple times. Ogunbowale won her first one in 2021 when the format was Team WNBA versus Team USA.

Rookies Continue to Make History

This was the first of many all-star appearances for Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. It was the first time Reese and Clark were on the court together as teammates, and it certainly will not be the last. 
When asked about playing with Clark for the first time, she said,

“We are gonna be playing with each other a lot. Hopefully, in 4 years, we can be Olympians together.”

Reese finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. She became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a double-double in an all-star game and the first WNBA player since Yolanda Griffith did it in 1999.