2021 All-Star Game: Team WNBA gets bragging rights over Team USA

Arike Ogunbowale scored 26 points to lead Team WNBA to a 93-85 upset win over Team USA on Wednesday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Ogunbowale, who also live-tweeted the game from the bench, converted on a key four-point play to give Team WNBA a six-point lead with 5:37 to play and the team led by at least four the rest of the way. She also made a big 3-pointer that pushed the lead to eight with 3:42 to go and a floater that increased the lead to eight with 1:57 remaining en route to winning the game’s MVP award.

Regular season MVP candidate Jonquel Jones, who was seen by many to be Team WNBA’s best hope of starring in a victory against Team USA, stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. She buried a triple with 2:34 to play that gave Team WNBA a nine-point advantage.

Courtney Williams posted the third-most points for Team WNBA with 15 and blocked Team USA’s last real hope at coming back (an A’ja Wilson layup that would have cut it to four with 1:17 left). The guard’s impressive rejection against the world-class inside scorer was not the end of her heroics. She also made a floater with 36.2 seconds remaining that capped the scoring for the night.

Brittney Griner notched 17 points, but was unable to dunk in defeat. Breanna Stewart (15 points, six rebounds, three assists) and Sylvia Fowles (12 points, seven rebounds) came to play as well.

Allie Quigley won the 3-point contest at halftime on the strength of a perfect money ball rack that she strategically placed on the right wing. It was her second-to-last rack and she needed it to catch up to fellow finalist Jonquel Jones. Quigley then won the contest on her second-to-last shot on the final rack and made her final money ball to increase her final score.