PHOENIX (AP) — Arike Ogunbowale sat within the locker room with the remainder of her Staff WNBA teammates, ready for coach Cheryl Miller to interrupt down the primary half.
Miller as an alternative pointed a finger — at Ogunbowale.
Scoreless within the first half, Ogunbowale scored 21 of her document 34 factors within the third quarter to earn MVP honors on the WNBA All-Star Recreation on Saturday night time.
“I wasn’t anticipating her to say my title — she was speaking to the group, however pointing at me,” Ogunbowale mentioned. “She simply informed me to take a deep breath and play my recreation.”
Ogunbowale definitely did that.
Taking part in in opposition to the U.S. Olympic group, Ogunwobale spent the primary half deferring to teammates, lacking the 2 photographs she took.
After the halftime speaking to by her Corridor of Fame coach, the 5-foot-8 guard was the most important participant on the court docket, scoring on step-back 3-pointers and runners within the lane.
Ogunbowale hit 6 of 10 photographs within the third quarter, together with 5 of seven from 3-point vary. She stored scoring and Staff WNBA turned Staff USA’s final home warm-up earlier than the Paris Olympics right into a 117-109 loss. She hit eight 3-pointers and completed 10 for 20 from the ground with six assists to develop into the third two-time MVP in WNBA All-Star Recreation historical past.
“She was simply within the zone they usually performed actually good protection a number of instances,” mentioned Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, a participant identified for occurring heaters throughout her profession at Iowa. “There’s simply nothing you are able to do in these conditions the place she’s making step again 3s, one-legged floaters, issues like that. You, you actually can’t guard her.”
Ogunbowale has proven a knack for scoring in bunches all through her profession, beginning together with her school days, when she hit game-winning photographs within the Remaining 4 and nationwide championship recreation throughout Notre Dame’s 2018 title run.
Ogunbowale has been one of many WNBA’s greatest scorers throughout 5 seasons with the Dallas Wings, averaging 22.3 factors per recreation this season. She was the All-Star Recreation MVP the final time Staff USA performed Staff WNBA in an Olympic warm-up, scoring 26 factors.
“It’s only a testimony to my laborious work,” Ogunbowale mentioned. “No matter win, lose or draw, I’m simply going to play my recreation and that’s what I’ve been doing for Dallas. That is good to get a win, though it doesn’t rely.”
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball