Following a thrilling opening week of AU Pro Basketball, Week Two began in Nashville with a tale of two games. On one hand, offense was on full display while the other showed a bit more defensive. Three players made their debut as captains: Aneesah Morrow (Rhythm), Rebekah Gardner (Glow), and Kaitlyn Chen (Gold Rush).
Washington Mystics forward Alysha Clark leads the Eclipse for the second straight week. Without further ado, here is a recap of Games Seven and Eight of Week Two.
Game Seven: Rhythm Vs. Glow
From the opening tip, both teams found the bucket early at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The Glow took the first quarter lead 34 – 22 on the strength of five three-pointers. Gardner hit two from beyond the arc, leading the Glow with eight total points.
Guard/Forward McKenzie Forbes, guard Kierstan Bell of the Las Vegas Aces, and Sparks guard Emma Cannon hit a three-pointer in the quarter. Morrow led the Rhythm with six points in the quarter.
In quarter number two, each squad scored 25 points apiece as the Glow took a 59 – 47 lead into the half. For the Glow, Indiana Fever guard Odyssey Sims led the quarter with eight points as Bell scored six with two three-pointers. Morrow and guard Zia Cooke scored eight and seven points, respectively, for the Rhythm in the quarter.
Photo Credit: Athletes Unlimited
The third quarter was the Rhythm feeling the Glow’s offense as they were outscored 29 – 16. Sims led her squad in scoring with eight points as Aces forward NaLyssa Smith accounted for eight of the 16 points for the Rhythm. Now, the Glow took an 88 – 63 lead in the final quarter.
Despite 10 points from Cooke in the fourth quarter, it was not enough for the Rhythm as they fell to the Glow 110 -89.
Rhythm Vs. Glow Stats Recap
To the surprise of few, Sims took MVP 1 Honors for the Glow. She put up 31 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field along with eight assists. Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker of the Los Angeles Sparks scored 13 points as Bell and Gardner each had 12 points in the win. Forbes added 11 points as Phoenix Mercury forward grabbed 15 rebounds in the game.
Looking at the Rhythm, Cooke won MVP 2 Honors as she scored 23 points. MVP 3 Honors went to Morrow as the Connecticut Sun forward notched a double-double with 20 points and 16 boards. Lastly, Smith scored 17 points while forward Asia Taylor had 15.
Game Eight: Gold Rush Vs. Eclipse
Unlike the first game of the doubleheader, this game was more about defense as neither team reached 80 points. In the first quarter, the Gold Rush was down 18-15 to the Eclipse. Guard Ariel Atkins of the Chicago Sky led the Eclipse with seven points. Forward Teana Muldrow led the Gold Rush with six points in the quarter.
The Eclipse grew their lead over the Gold Rush in the second quarter, making it a 41-32 score at halftime. Sun center Tina Charles scored 11 points for the Eclipse as Sky guard Kia Nurse had eight points for the Gold Rush in the quarter.
In the third quarter, the Gold Rush found themselves scoring just 16 points to the Eclipse’s 21 points. Guard Shey Peddy of the Fever led the Eclipse in third quarter scoring with six points, both shots from beyond the arc. Chen and Muldrew each scored four points for the Gold Rush.
Entering the fourth, the Eclipse held a 62 – 48 lead against the Gold Rush. Each team put up 16 points in the fourth quarter as the Eclipse got the 78 – 64 victory.
Gold Rush Vs. Eclipse Stats Recap
As for MVP 1 Honors, Charles took it home as she scored 17 points while grabbing eight rebounds in the Eclipse win. Next, Peddy garnered MVP 2 Honors with 14 points and seven assists. Forward Alissa Pili of the Sparks put up 11 points in her first AU Pro Basketball game this season. As a team, they shot 38.5 percent from three to the Gold Rush’s 21.4 percent.
Nurse led all Gold Rush scorers with 16 points, including draining four three-pointers. Muldrow won MVP 3 Honors thanks to a double-double performance with 12 points and 11 boards in 24 minutes of action.
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