PHOENIX (AP) — Arike Ogunbowale was the dominant scorer on the ground. Caitlin Clark was the very best passer. Angel Reese was her traditional double-double machine.

The U.S. should have the very best staff on the Olympics, however on the All-Star Sport, they didn’t have all the very best gamers on Saturday evening.

Ogunbowale set the All-Star scoring document with 34 factors and Clark fell simply in need of the help mark in her All-Star debut because the WNBA staff beat the U.S. Olympic staff 117-109.

It was the second consecutive win for the WNBA All-Star staff over the Olympians. The All-Stars additionally received in 2021 led by Ogunbowale, who was MVP of each that recreation and this one.

“That is going to assist us tremendously. We don’t get that many recreation alternatives,” stated Breanna Stewart who had 31 factors to steer the U.S. ”We will return and watch the movie and concentrate on how we will proceed to be higher. It was like slightly little bit of deja vu feeling however simply locking in.”

The loss didn’t decelerate the People in 2021 as they went on to successful their seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal. The U.S. hopes for a similar leads to Paris later this month. No staff on the planet may match the depth or expertise that the WNBA All-Stars had.

“Is Arike enjoying for any of those groups we’re going to play?” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve deadpanned.

Saturday’s loss got here hours after the U.S. males’s Olympic staff rallied to beat South Sudan by one level in an exhibition recreation in London.

The U.S. girls’s staff will subsequent play Germany in London for an exhibition recreation Tuesday earlier than going to France for the Olympics. The People are in a pool with Belgium, Japan and Germany.

“We’ve got work to do and we all know that,” Reeve stated. “Typically it’s good, adversity, and so on. I don’t suppose we would have liked a recreation like this to have our consideration. We all know how onerous it’s to do what we’re making an attempt to do and we have now work to do to get there.”

Ogunbowale as soon as once more was a thorn within the aspect of the U.S. staff, scoring all of her factors within the second half. The 2021 All-Star MVP took over the sport within the third quarter scoring 21 factors, hitting six of her 10 photographs, together with 5 3-pointers. The U.S. staff threw every part on the Dallas Wings star, however they only couldn’t cease her.

Ogunbowale stated that WNBA staff coach Cheryl Miller stated one thing to her on the half about being extra aggressive.

“Instructed me to take a deep breath and exit and play my recreation,” she stated.

Ogunbowale has been within the U.S. nationwide staff pool for the previous two Olympics, however didn’t make the roster both time. She pulled her title out of the pool of gamers early this time round saying the complete course of was political.

By the point Ogunbowale was accomplished within the third quarter, the WNBA All-Stars had turned a two-point halftime deficit into an 88-79 lead. She broke Jewell Loyd’s total All-Star scoring document of 31 set final 12 months with a 3-pointer late within the fourth quarter.

The Olympians, who’ve solely practiced collectively for 2 days, by no means actually threatened.

A’ja Wilson added 22.

There was a lot hype and vitality round this All-Star Sport with the debuts of phenomenal rookies Clark and Reese. The pair have helped carry the WNBA to new heights this season with document attendance and viewership.

It was their first time the younger stars had ever performed collectively. One in all Clark’s 10 assists got here to Reese, who completed with 12 factors and 11 rebounds.

“We knew after our little 30 minute follow yesterday that we have been going to win,” Reese stated. “The tone was set.”

Clark completed one help in need of Sue Hen’s Al-Star document.

“That’s Sue’s document. Can’t take that from her, that’s my homey,” Clark stated.

The sport was put in Phoenix to have fun the 20-year profession of Mercury star Diana Taurasi and the return of Brittney Griner from her wrongful detainment in Russia in 2022.

“This shall be one of many single hardest issues to focus on. Is definitely teaching the staff due to what’s taking place,” Reeve stated. “It is among the best spectacles, I believe, within the historical past of our league.”

Whereas Clark and Reese got loud ovations from the group in pregame introductions, nothing matched the applause for Taurasi, who was enjoying in her eleventh All-Star Sport.

She received the scoring began with a 3-pointer from the wing within the back-and-forth first half which noticed the U.S. maintain a slim 54-52 lead. It didn’t final lengthy because the WNBA staff scored 9 of the primary 11 factors within the third quarter to take management.

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