Aces hit 3 in final seconds for ‘gutsy win’ in home opener — PHOTOS
Chelsea Gray threw her head back in a show of relief after the buzzer. Suddenly, the lights were off and all of the Aces were throwing their bodies up and down in a huddle of winning ecstasy.
On a night primed for celebration, the Aces narrowly avoided defeat with a late comeback to beat the short-handed Washington Mystics 75-72 on Friday at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Gray inbounded the ball to A’ja Wilson at the top of the key with less than 10 seconds on the clock. The three-time WNBA MVP drew defenders in as she dribbled to the free-throw line and kicked it to Jewell Loyd in the corner.
Loyd, 1-for-9 from the field before she set up for the pivotal shot, hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left, and the Aces went from facing a nine-point deficit with just over three minutes left, to victors.
They scored the last nine points of the game over the final 1:15 to earn the win despite shooting 24.2 percent from the 3-point line (8-for-33).
“Everyone was just telling me to keep shooting,” Loyd said, adding that playing at “The House” for the Aces instead of against them lived up to her expectations.
“I don’t think we wanted a nail-biter for our home opener, but it’s definitely a lot better to be on this side of pressure, right?” she said.
Next to her, Gray let out a heavy sigh. The point guard clarified that she wasn’t exhausted from the physical toll of the contest, but the emotional demands.
“There were so many highs and then lows in that game,” Gray said. “That’s a gutsy win for a team that hasn’t been together that long.”
Surrounding Wilson
The Aces announced a sold-out crowd for the home opener, which was prefaced by a ceremony to honor Wilson, Gray, Jackie Young and new addition Loyd as USA Basketball presented them with commemorative Olympic rings from their victory at the 2024 Paris Games.
As soon as Wilson stopped posing for the cameras, she pantomimed slamming the oversized jewelry box shut before she walked away, signaling her readiness for the action on the court.
It was a playful but understandable display given her history with the opponent. The Mystics were the only team to hold the three-time MVP under 15 points last season (11 in an 88-77 victory last June).
Although the organization has since undergone a complete overhaul, the Mystics presented the same old problems for Wilson.
Young led the Aces with 25 points, and Gray scored 17 points.
Wilson finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds after recording just seven points in the first half. She also finished with five assists, including the game-winning one, to reach the career milestone of 500 dishes.
“Everybody in the building knew that basketball was going A’ja Wilson,” Gray said of the final play that resulted from Wilson’s pass. “We pretty much knew they were going to show a double-team. They were doing it all night. We just needed to knock it down, and (Wilson) saw it wasn’t for her.”
Sykes’ absence
The Mystics were bolstered by a breakout pair of rookies with leading scorer Brittney Sykes (right lower-leg injury) ruled out at the last minute. Aaliyah Edwards, Shakira Austin and Georgia Amoore were also sidelined.
Hammon credited Sykes’ absence for part of the Mystics’ success on the night, explaining that there’s a phenomenon in every sport in which a team often steps up without its leader while the opposing team makes the mistake of relaxing.
“I think they were ready for Sykes and understood how big and how important she is for that team,” Hammon said. “For whatever reason, she didn’t play. But I think we maybe let off the gas pedal a little bit with that information.”
Sonia Citron, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, scored 19 points, while No. 4 overall pick Kiki Iriafen added 17.
Final run
After the Mystics established a 12-point lead — their largest of the game — in the third quarter, each of the Aces’ starters contributed to the final run that earned the victory as the Mystics were outscored 25-13 in the fourth quarter.
The Aces went on a 16-9 scoring run through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter to come within two points of the deficit, but a 3-pointer from Citron quelled the momentum and put the Mystics up 71-66. A Jade Melbourne free throw with 1:15 left made it 72-66.
After Young made two free throws, she intercepted a Stefanie Dolson pass for a fast-break layup that put the Aces within two again at 72-70 with 39.2 seconds to play.
After a Mystics shot clock turnover gave the Aces the ball back, Wilson assisted a layup for Young to tie the game with 11 seconds left.
Kiah Stokes was called for a foul on the other end, which nearly sent Melbourne to the free-throw line again before Hammon challenged the call. The review showed a clean block and gave the Aces the final possession.
“When it comes down to defense, she’s always going to be on the floor for us,” Hammon said of Stokes.
When asked how she knew to call the challenge, Hammon simply noted that Stokes has “never lied” to her. So when she said she didn’t foul, Hammon believed it.
Stokes was subbed in and out just for that final defensive play, with reserve guard Dana Evans filling in on offense.
Her qualms aside, Hammon acknowledged her team’s effort.
“We’re fortunate to win that game,” she said. “I mean, they dug really deep, and I give them a lot of credit. … We’ll try to learn from it and be better.”
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
