By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photos: Charles “City” Gbadebo
Las Vegas, NV – Team Stewart, led by the Seattle Storm’s Breanna Stewart, defeated A’ja Wilson’s Team Wilson 143-127 in Saturday evening’s WNBA All-Star game at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm scored a game-high 31 points on 10 3 pointers – breaking the All-Star single-game scoring record of 30 points to win Game MVP. She also set a record for most three-pointers made.
“I think I played hard because my parents didn’t have a gift for their anniversary, so I think this will be acceptable. I hope it is,” Loyd said. “So it was more so a kind of gift for my parents.
“It was a goal of mine, to be honest with you. It was a plan of mine. But at the same time my niece and nephew wanted me to go for it, so anything for them, right?”
For the second year in a row the WNBA implemented a 4-point shot in the All-Star game, and the two teams combined to score 12 points from that 28-foot distance.
The All-Star Game also marked the return of Brittney Griner. Griner – a 9 time All-Star – said she was happy to be on the stage with her colleagues and teammates.
“I’m just happy to be here in this building. All-Star is a fun time that we get to all be together. You really get to learn everybody’s personality,” Griner said.
“What you see on the court is fun, but in the locker room, a couple of hours, three hours, four hours before the game, five hours before the game, that’s where all the little moments that you take away always happen. That’s what I always look forward to.
“And then just being here with them after everything that they did to support me through one of the toughest times, it just means everything to be right here.”
The WNBA announced earlier in the day that the Phoenix Mercury will host the 2024 All-Star Game.
