Arlington, Tx — Arike Ogunbowale showcased her scoring abilities, delivering 14 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Dallas Wings to an 87-79 victory over the Chicago Sky in their season opener on Wednesday night.
Trailing 75-73 with 3:16 remaining, the Wings mounted a decisive 14-0 run, capped off by Ogunbowale’s deep 3-pointer that extended their lead to 87-75 with 31 seconds left. Ogunbowale’s clutch performance was complemented by Natasha Howard and Teaira McCowan’s double-doubles, with Howard tallying 15 points and 13 rebounds, and McCowan contributing 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Marina Mabrey paced the Sky with 19 points and nine rebounds, leading all five starters in double figures. Diamond DeShields, making her return to Chicago, added 14 points, while Angel Reese, Elizabeth Williams, and Dana Evans chipped in 12, respectively.
Mabrey’s 3-pointer gave Chicago a 43-40 halftime lead, following a strong first quarter where Mabrey and Michaela Onyenwere combined for consecutive threes, propelling the Sky to a 24-14 advantage.
Dallas rallied in the second quarter, led by Stephanie Soares’ offensive rebound and putback, marking her first professional points. McCowan’s dominant first-half performance, accumulating 16 points and 10 rebounds, helped the Wings stay competitive.
The game remained tight entering the fourth quarter, with Williams’ basket knotting the score at 62.
Jaelyn Brown, making her debut after four years overseas, started for Dallas but remained scoreless. Meanwhile, Jacy Sheldon, the Wings’ first-round pick, contributed two points in nine minutes of play.
