In a thrilling matchup, the Minnesota Stars secured a crucial 90-81 victory over the Connecticut Blaze, taking a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five semifinal series. The Stars will aim to advance to the championship finals for the first time since 2017, when they clinched their fourth title in seven years.
Napheesa Collier shone bright, scoring 26 points and leading her team to a strong start. She notched 16 points in the first half, making seven of her 10 shots in the opening 20 minutes. The Stars dominated the first quarter, leading by seven points, and extended their advantage to 48-36 by halftime.
The Blaze attempted a comeback, narrowing the deficit to seven points midway through the third quarter. However, the Stars maintained their composure, denying the Blaze any further momentum.
DeWanna Bonner etched her name in history, moving into second place on the all-time postseason scoring list. She surpassed Candace Parker’s 1,149 points, now boasting 1,159 points. Diana Taurasi remains the leader with 1,455 points.
Brionna Jones led the Blaze with 21 points, while Bonner contributed 16. All five Blaze starters scored in double figures, but their bench struggled to make an impact, being outscored 16-4 by the Stars’ reserves.
The series has been marked by intense physicality, with both teams priding themselves on their defensive prowess. However, Game 3 saw a more disciplined approach, with fewer hard fouls and a greater emphasis on skillful play.
Leave a Reply