Sabrina Ionescu wins the 3-point competition
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu had a WNBA-record 37 points and missed just two shots in the finals of Friday’s WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
She was challenged in the first round by Seattle storm guard Sami Whitcomb with 28 points, but Whitcomb (24 points) and third-finalist Dallas Wings guard Aike Ogunbowale (11 points) fell short of Ionescu’s blistering round.
First round of the 3-point competition
Connecticut Sun Guard DiJonai Carrington: 18 points (retired)
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale: 21 points
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell: 15 points (retired)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu: 26 points
Seattle Storm Guard Sami Whitcomb: 28 points
Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young: 15 points (retired)
Final round of the 3-point competition
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale: 11 points
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu: 37 points
Seattle Storm Guard Sami Whitcomb: 24 points
Las Vegas Aces guards Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum won the WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge Friday in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/LE Baskow)
Team Aces win the Skills Challenge
Team aces Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum bested Team Liberty’s other super team in a timed skill course in the finals of the Skills Challenge and set the tone in Las Vegas this weekend. Gray and Plum beat Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot’s time on the final lap by 13 seconds after Gray completed the final course with flying colours.
In the first round, Team Dream (Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker) and Team Wings (Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally) were eliminated early.
First round of the Skills Challenge
Team Dream (Atlanta): Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker, 58.7 seconds
Team Wings (Dallas): Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally, 52.6 seconds
Team Liberty (New York): Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot, 47.8 seconds (eliminates Dream)
Team Aces (Las Vegas): Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum, 45.9 seconds (eliminates Wings)
Final round of the Skills Challenge
Team Liberty (New York): Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot, 58 seconds
Team Aces (Las Vegas): Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum, 45 seconds