Allemand Propels Soaring Sparks over Wings
Published on September 7, 2025 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Los Angeles Sparks News Release
Dallas Wings (9-34) at Los Angeles Sparks (20-22)
Game 42 | Sept. 7, 2025 | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA | Spectrum SportsNet
Attendance: 13,868
Game Leaders:
Wings
PTS - Paige Bueckers (18)
REB - Myisha Hines-Allen (13)
AST - Paige Bueckers and Myisha Hines-Allen (7)
Sparks
PTS - Julie Allemand (21)
REB - Azurá Stevens (11)
AST - Dearica Hamby and Julie Allemand (4)
Key Takeaways:
Julie Allemand became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 20 points and five steals in a regular-season game while shooting 100% from the floor. Allemand posted career highs in points (21) and steals (five) while shooting perfect from the field (8-for-8), from beyond the arc (3-for-3) and from the free-throw line (2-for-2). The point guard is the only player this season to shoot 100% on a minimum of eight field-goal attempts. She also tallied four assists and zero turnovers
Azurá Stevens notched 13 points and 11 rebounds, marking her ninth double-double of the season and the 20th of her career. Stevens tied Nneka Ogwumike for ninth on the Sparks' all-time three-pointers list
Rae Burrell poured in 13 points, a season-high-tying three assists and a career-high-tying three steals. The third-year wing reached the 500-point milestone in her career in 23 minutes off the bench
Dearica Hamby tallied 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Hamby tied Chelsea Gray for ninth on the franchise's all-time steals list and rose to seventh in offensive rebounds as a Spark, tying Tamecka Dixon
Cameron Brink grabbed a season-high nine rebounds, along with six points (3-for-7 FG) and two assists
Sarah Ashlee Barker contributed a game-best +18 rating to go with four rebounds and three assists
Los Angeles is 15-1 overall and 7-1 at home when scoring 90 or more points. The team had six players score in double digits and assisted on 67.6% of their field goals
The Sparks outscored the Wings in fast-break points, 20-12, and in second-chance points, 10-2
First Quarter:
Forward-center Azurá Stevens scored the Sparks' first points from the field with a cutting layup off an assist from forward Dearica Hamby
Jackson hit a step-back three-pointer to give the Sparks the lead, 7-6, with 7:27 left in the quarter. Jackson led all scorers in the first quarter with seven points
Stevens recorded a steal and converted it into a breakaway layup at the 6:33 mark, extending L.A.'s lead to 9-6
Guard Julie Allemand hit a baseline jumper at the 3:44 mark to give the Sparks' their first double-digit lead. She recorded five points (2-for-2 FG, 1-for-1 3PT) and two steals in the quarter
Los Angeles went on a 12-0 run to widen their lead to 16-6
The Sparks limited the Wings to 29.4% shooting from the floor and 0-for-5 from beyond the arc
Second Quarter:
At the 9:05 mark, forward Cameron Brink scored Los Angeles' first points of the second quarter with a pullup jumpshot off an assist from Allemand to further the Sparks' lead, 23-14
Guard Kelsey Plum drained a three-pointer, assisted by Allemand, at the 5:41 mark to give the Sparks' a 12-point lead
In the first half, Los Angeles stole the ball six times compared to Dallas' two, and committed just five turnovers
Stevens scored a game-high 11 points (4-for-7 FG, 2-for-2 FT) and seven rebounds in the first half
Allemand notched five points (2-for-2 FG, 1-for-1 3PT), three assists, two steals and a game-high +10 rating in the first half
The Sparks held the Wings to 34.3% from the field and 9.1% (1-for-11) from beyond the arc in the first half
Third Quarter:
Plum opened Sparks scoring in the second half with a driving layup at the 9:12 mark
With a Hamby layup via a Plum assist at the 7:18 mark, the Sparks broke the tie to lead 48-46
Allemand buried the Sparks' first three-point attempt of the second half to reclaim Los Angeles' lead, 51-48
With only one second left in the third quarter, Allemand sank a triple off an assist from guard Sarah Ashlee Barker to return the lead to the Sparks, 66-64. The Belgian guard finished with a quarter-high 11 points (4-for-4 FG, 2-for-2 3PT, 1-for-1 FT)
The Sparks shot 50.0% (10-for-20 FG) from the field in the third quarter and led by as many as nine
The third quarter featured four lead changes and two ties
Fourth Quarter:
Burrell scored 11 of the Sparks' first 14 fourth-quarter points. All of Burrell's points came from the final quarter
Stevens made a putback layup at the 4:27 mark to give the Sparks a 84-68 lead
The Sparks led by as many as 18 in the final period and shot 43.2% in the second half.
Allemand led the way for all scorers, dropping 16 of her career-high 21 points in the third and fourth quarters
The Sparks outscored the Wings 25-13 in the final quarter
Pregame Quotes:
Head Coach Lynne Roberts
On the Sparks' mindset going into their final stretch:
"You just have to continue reinforcing that message [of controlling what you can control]. We're not talking about things we can't control. Whether Indiana wins or loses, or whether Seattle [wins or loses], we can't control that. We just have to focus on what we're doing and see how it all shakes out. Coming into this season, the goal was to [begin] the process of getting this organization back where it belongs, and making the culture what we want, win as many games as possible, and we've done those things, right? We weren't shy about saying that we wanted to get to the playoffs, but I'm still proud of the whole body of work. Do we have a ways to go before we can talk about cutting down nets? Absolutely. But I remember hearing as a young assistant, for sustainable success, you can't take the elevator. You gotta take the stairs and do it the right way, and build culture first, and get the right people, and I think that's [what] we're in the process of here."
On their last matchup against Dallas:
"We had a chance to blow it open, and we took our foot off the gas. Even though [Kelsey Plum] hit that shot and it was a win, we all just thought we didn't defend Paige [Bueckers] and we let them back in it. So we've talked about that, and we've watched a lot of film. And at this point, it's up to the players to play with the urgency needed. I'll do the best job I can and put them in position to be successful on both sides of the ball. But in this 42nd game, they know what they need to do."
Postgame Quotes:
Head Coach Lynne Roberts
On the offensive dominance from the Sparks:
"[Six players in double-digit scoring] looks like the box score from a few weeks ago, where we were humming on offense a little bit better. Tonight should be a confidence booster. Other than the start of the third quarter, I thought we did a good job, and Rae [Burrell] played some good minutes, and was so active defensively. [Sarah Ashlee Barker] didn't hit shots, but she was plus 18, [and] did a tremendous job defensively. Julie [Allemand] was unbelievable. Truly unbelievable [and] willed us to this. Her stat line [was] 8-for-8, 3-for-3 from three, didn't miss a free throw. Four assists, five steals, and no turnovers, like... Yes."
On Julie Allemand's defensive effort:
"We put her on their non-shooter because Julie [Allemand] has such a high IQ and a good knack for the offense that she was trying to do, and you saw that today, like she just got some key steals. She's just so smart, you know, I think that worked out well, where we tried to limit [Paige] Bueckers as much as we could, and send Julie around as being kind of all help and fly around. You know, she's just really fast and has great instinct."
Julie Allemand
On her history-making game:
"I'm just trying to read the game every time. I don't care about shooting most of the time... I'm trying [to] just to read the game and today I had more [chances] than [usual], so I took it, and it was in. So, when it's like this, it's just amazing because then you keep going and you feel good, you feel confident on the court, and that's how I felt today... I just care about the win today. That was the most important... When we play as a team, I really enjoy it. That's really what matters to me."
Azurá Stevens
On what drove her dynamic performance:
"Being aggressive. I think the last few games, I just got in my head. I know I'm a big part of this team, just like everybody is, but I know when I come out aggressive, even if I'm not making shots, it still puts pressure on the defense. So these guys have been in my ear, and it's really just a mental thing, so I just try to come out and be aggressive."
What's Next?:
With their playoff hopes still alive, the Sparks make a quick trip to Phoenix to take on the Mercury on Tuesday, Sept. 9 (7 p.m. PT). Los Angeles then returns home to close out the regular season against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, Sept. 11 (7 p.m. PT).
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from September 7, 2025
- Allemand Propels Soaring Sparks over Wings - Los Angeles Sparks
- Wings Clipped in Road Finale - Dallas Wings
- Mystics vs. Fever Postgame Notes -- September 7, 2025 - Washington Mystics
- Fever Blow out Mystics to Clinch Playoff Berth - Indiana Fever
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