The Los Angeles Sparks are on a heater. After four straight wins, they traveled to New York to play the defending champion Liberty on Saturday.
In a high scoring affair, the Sparks got the ball in the final seconds with the score tied at 99 points apiece. Second-year forward Rickea Jackson got the ball in the post with just two seconds left and somehow called game with Liberty forward Stephanie Talbot draped all over her, even appearing to get a piece of the shot.
Rickea Jackson hits the GAME-WINNER to give the @LASparks the 101-99 win over the Liberty!
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 27, 2025
The sophomore put up 24 PTS to lead LA to their 5th straight win!#WelcometotheW https://t.co/LyBXkqhPr2 pic.twitter.com/WO1KrgEaV4
Jackson had a team-high 24 points on the night on 9-for-15 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 from three. Kelsey Plum added 20 points, with Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens putting up 17 points apiece.
The 101-99 win over the 17-7 Liberty gives the Sparks their fifth win in a row after a 6-14 start to the season. They overcame a 30-point performance from Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who also added eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.
On the season, Jackson is averaging 13.1 points, three rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Sparks chose her with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft before she went on to receive All-Rookie honors.
After a tough start, the Sparks find themselves at 11-14, just one game behind the Washington Mystics and Golden State Valkyries for the league's final playoff spot. Plus, they're on the verge of getting Cameron Brink back as she finishes her recovery from a torn ACL.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rickea Jackson Hit Wild Game Winner Through Traffic to Push Sparks Past Liberty.
