The Atlanta Dream (7-15) fell to The Las Vegas Aces (15-7) Friday night at Gateway Arena in College Park in front of a soldout crowd. This was Atlanta’s eleventh straight soldout home game, a testament to the unwavering support of their fans.
Atlanta’s head coach, Tanisha Wright, talked about the energy of the fans when playing at home. “A packed gym is always fun to play in.”
Only three WNBA teams sold out their 2024 season tickets in April for the first time in league history.
Says Dream Forward Nia Coffey, “Seeing how the league has progressed over the years, there’s a different energy, and I love it. It’s amazing to see that people are starting to see the product that we’re putting out there.”
The Aces took an early 8-0 lead in the first quarter. However, Maya Caldwell’s 17-foot running pullup jump shot broke the Dream’s three-minute scoreless streak and ignited a spark of resilience in the team.
Atlanta made several runs to change the game’s momentum, securing their first lead early in the second quarter with the help of Cheyenne Parker, who scored eight points in the second quarter.
Parker’s outstanding performance was a game-changer for the Dream. She was rightfully named the player of the game. Parker finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and two steals.
A’ja Wilson notched her 7th 30-point game of the season just one night after being named the Best Athlete, Women’s Sports at the ESPY Awards.
“I started writing goals for myself once you start checking them off, you like, I want more. I believe in myself a lot, and I’m always going to bet on myself,” said Wilson.
Despite the loss, Atlanta Dream Coach Wright’s words resonate with the team’s resilience: “We just have to keep fighting.” Friday’s loss was the Dreams’ eighths on their homecourt this season, but their spirit remains undeterred.
With the WNBA All-Star break approaching, the excitement is real. The Dream has two games to play before the All-Star and Olympic breaks. They will face the Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx on the road, while the Aces will face the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky. These upcoming games promise to be thrilling and full of action.
*Feature image of article by KK Hansbrough