WNBA All-Star Game: Arike Does It Again, Clark and Reese Help Out

PHOENIX — Breanna Stewart channeled her inner Yogi Berra after Team WNBA defeated Team USA on Saturday night at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.

“It was definitely a bit of a déjà vu feeling,” Stewart said.

All over again.

Saturday played out in an eerily similar fashion to the 2021 All-Star Game in Las Vegas: Team WNBA pulled out another eight-point victory, this time 117-109. Arike Ogunbowale led all scorers, this time with a WNBA All-Star Game record 34 points. And Ogunbowale won MVP. Again.

This year’s WNBA All-Star Game was part of a weekend that rewrote the history books, from Allisha Gray’s historic double-double win in the skills challenge and 3-point contest on Friday night to Ogunbowale’s starring performance on Saturday, and from Stewart becoming the first player with 30 points and 10 rebounds to Angel Reese becoming the first rookie in WNBA All-Star history with a double-double.

Here are the key takeaways from All-Star weekend as the WNBA takes a month-long break for the Olympics.

The rookies showed themselves, just like the whole season

It didn’t matter that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were rookies: they made a meaningful impression in their first All-Star Game and were vital parts of Team USA’s victory. Clark had a quiet scoring night (4 points), but had another game with double-digit assists (10), a rookie record and one shy of Sue Bird’s all-time All-Star Game record (with the all-time great look on and apparently chirping courtside).

Reese, the master of double-doubles this season, finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds to become the first rookie to record a double-double in an All-Star Game.

There’s little doubt that a lasting memory from Saturday will be the moment Clark found Reese under the basket for a layup early in the third quarter, and the two exchanged a high five while playing defensive back. This could be a preview of the All-Star Games, perhaps even international competitions representing the United States.

Now both stars, who have been in the spotlight for more than a year and have been playing nonstop since November, finally get a breather before their two WNBA teams, ranked seventh and eighth in the standings, face off for coveted playoff spots. Filippou

A second half to never forget

Ogunbowale went from zero to 34 in just 20 minutes.

After a goalless first half on Saturday, WNBA coach Cheryl Miller challenged Ogunbowale in the locker room during halftime, even pointing at the Wings star and telling Ogunbowale to take a deep breath and play her game.

Ogunbowale responded by going on a scoring spree in the third quarter, scoring 21 points in the period — the most in a quarter in WNBA All-Star Game history — while making 6 of 10 shots, including 5 of 7 3-pointers and 4 of 5 free throws. Ogunbowale accounted for 58.3 percent of Team WNBA’s 36 points in the third quarter.

Her 27-foot 3-pointer with 8:08 left in the third quarter gave Team WNBA a three-point lead and they never looked back.

“As a scorer, when you see a couple come down like that, you have all the confidence in the world,” Ogunbowale’s teammate Caitlin Clark said. “The basket looks really big. So I know exactly how she felt. She was just in the zone.” — Wine sauce

Team USA has work to do

The facial expressions of the U.S. national team spoke volumes. There were no smiles after the game when commissioner Cathy Engelbert asked the crowd to applaud in farewell as the Olympic team heads to Europe and begins its Olympic journey.

Cheryl’s going to let them have their way in the locker room I’m afraid 😭 https://t.co/Bvc9yXkvCX photo.twitter.com/dWnodWZP4h

— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) July 21, 2024

Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve found her team’s defense most disappointing, describing it as better than a normal All-Star Game but lacking in collective effort with little help and little rim protection. Reeve lamented that her team allowed 52 points in the paint.

No, the U.S. women won’t be facing Ogunbowale or a player as explosive as she is in Paris, as Reeve joked after the game. But the defense will undoubtedly need to improve if the program is to win its eighth straight Olympic gold.

“We didn’t really go into competition to say we have a certain identity that we’re trying to play to,” Reeve said. “I have to figure that out. I have to help them get there.”

While defense was a concern, Team USA’s backcourt wasn’t as effective as it could have been. Diana Taurasi had a nice night (14 points) in front of an X-Factor-friendly crowd, but Chelsea Gray, who is recovering from a foot injury that sidelined her for most of the regular season, played just 10 minutes. Jewell Loyd, who led the WNBA in scoring last season, was 0-for-3 shooting on the night. Jackie Young played less than four minutes in the first half, while Sabrina Ionescu was just 2-for-6 from the field.

Stewart and A’ja Wilson seemed relieved that the madness of the All-Star Game and the weekend was behind them. No more distractions, no more fanfare. Now the team can focus on their USA Basketball obligations and figure out how to come out stronger for Tuesday’s exhibition in London against Germany. — Filippou

‘Shifting of the Guard’ at Team USA

On Saturday it became clear: Team USA now belongs to Stewart and Wilson.

The two dominated the Olympic team in its loss to Team WNBA, with Stewart recording a double-double with 31 points and 10 rebounds, and Wilson adding 22 points.

In addition to their play, Stewart and Wilson have already begun the leadership transition.

“We’re in the process of moving the guard, if you will,” Stewart said. “A’ja and I have talked about it. We want to make sure that this is our team and that we don’t let anything get in our way.”

They played the most minutes on Saturday night, as Team USA tried to quickly find a rhythm and get going with just one more practice game remaining before the Olympic Games in Paris.

“Throughout this journey, A’ja and I are going to be more vocal in the locker room,” Stewart said. “It’s not a time to panic, it’s a time to learn and grow and figure out how we can be the best we can be together.” — Filippou