By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photo: Charles “City” Gbadebo
Video: Dorothy J. Gentry
Arike Ogunbowale, the face of the Dallas Wings since being drafted six years ago, became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer Thursday night at UTA’s College Park Center.
The All-Star guard from Notre Dame hit a free throw in the fourth quarter to score her 3,972th career point. She surpassed Deeanna Nolan’s 3,971 total which she accumulated while playing with the Detroit Shock from 2001-2009. The Shock became the Wings when they moved to Texas.
“I just love basketball,” Ogunbowale said. “I’m gonna compete, win, lose or draw. I’m gonna play my game and I’ve been having fun in Dallas.
“So just to get that record is definitely really cool and like I said, it’s been a tough season, but this is definitely something that I’ll look back on and be like ‘I was able to do that with my team.’”
Said Wings’ Head Coach Latricia Trammell: “She has put in the work, she has earned this moment, and I couldn’t be happier for her.”
The record was broken on a night when the Wings lost 99-67 to the visiting New York Liberty, the team with the best record in the WNBA at 31-6. The Wings – one of four teams left standing last season in their first trip the semi-finals – will not make the playoffs this season after an injury ravaged season.
They sit at 9-28, 11th in the league of 12 teams and have officially been eliminate from the playoffs. The Wings still have three games left to play and will end the season at Las Vegas on Thursday, Sept. 19th.
