Rickea Jackson has career-high 30 points as Sparks get a Commissioner's Cup win over Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Rickea Jackson scored a career-high 30 points, Azura Stevens had 19 points and 10 rebounds in leading the Sparks to a 97-89 Commissioner's Cup win over the Aces in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
The Aces were without star center A'ja Wilson for the final 11 minutes of the game after she left with 1:17 left in the third quarter with an injury. She was accidentally hit in the face on Dearica Hamby's drive to the basket.
Jackson went 11 of 17 from the field, including four of eight from three-point range, and four of five at the free-throw line to top her previous best of 25 points against Dallas last season.
Hamby scored 19 points for the Sparks (4-7) to go with eight rebounds and seven assists. Kelsey Plum had 13 points and nine assists against her former team.
Jackie Young tied her career high with 34 points and Chelsea Gray added 28 for Las Vegas (4-4), which has lost two straight games. Wilson was 2 of 12 from the field and 9 of 10 at the free-throw line to finish with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes.
Young scored 14 straight Las Vegas points in the second quarter.
Hamby, Stevens and Jackson all scored in double figures in the first half to help the Sparks build a 50-41 lead.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Delap, Jackson and the Chelsea players who have the most to gain at the Club World Cup
Chelsea have named their Club World Cup squad, and this summer's tournament in the United States represents a huge opportunity for the players selected to prove a point before the start of next season. FIFA's revamped, greatly expanded and rescheduled competition may have its fair share of detractors, but Chelsea are taking it seriously. Not only do they want to lift the trophy and be crowned world champions, having won the much-smaller-scale annual version of the Club World Cup three years ago, but it is also seen as vital preparation for their 2025-26 challenge domestically and in the Champions League. Advertisement With Chelsea hoping their involvement lasts until July 13, when the final takes place, this trip is also being regarded as a major part of the club's pre-season preparations. With the players getting up to three weeks off from whenever their participation in the tournament ends, there could be very little time for the group to get back together before the Premier League resumes on the weekend of August 16-17. Everyone on the plane that heads across the Atlantic on Friday will want to impress, but some individuals in the party perhaps have more to gain, or lose, than others. The Athletic takes a look at those players who have the most at stake. Let the battle to be Chelsea's first-choice striker next season commence. After two years of being virtually guaranteed to start up front every week when fit, Jackson finally has some genuine competition for his place. Chelsea made signing a centre-forward their main priority, not just for this summer overall, but in the mini-window from June 1-10 that allowed the 32 participating clubs to register new arrivals in time for the Club World Cup's group phase. They beat several rival suitors to buy Delap, 22, from Ipswich Town for £30million ($40.8m), with the move being confirmed last week. Jackson, 24 on June 20, has shown plenty of potential as a centre-forward since joining from Spanish club Villarreal for just over €35million (£30m/$40.6m at current rates) in the summer of 2023, but a return of just 24 goals in the Premier League across his two seasons is not enough for a team with Chelsea's ambitions. Delap scored more goals (12) for relegated Ipswich in the 2024-25 Premier League than Jackson (10) managed for a Chelsea side who finished in the top four. The variety of Delap's finishing is demonstrated in the graphic below. Another point of concern for Jackson is that Delap has already developed a good bond with Enzo Maresca after playing under the head coach in Manchester City's academy setup. Then there is the not-so-small fact that Chelsea are contemplating purchasing another attacker in time for next season. As The Athletic revealed last month, they have stepped up their interest in a striker who offers many of the same attributes as Jackson — Eintracht Frankfurt's 22-year-old forward Hugo Ekitike. Jackson enjoys a good understanding with Cole Palmer and will want to demonstrate during the Club World Cup why he is still the best person for the job. The ambitious Delap, a striker who will provide a more physical edge than the Senegal international, is clearly going to do the same. Many fans' lack of faith in the club's goalkeeping options became clear from their frustration when Chelsea recently ended interest in signing Milan No 1 Mike Maignan. Sections of the fanbase were also displeased that Djordje Petrovic, who shone on loan at Strasbourg in the French top flight last season, was left out of the Club World Cup squad. Advertisement Robert Sanchez regained his status as Maresca's first-choice ahead of summer 2024 signing Filip Jorgensen, but neither of them can be compared to Chelsea's Premier League-winning 'keepers Petr Cech (2005, 2006, 2010, 2015) and Thibaut Courtois (2015, 2017). Chelsea are content with what they have in goal, though, and regard Sanchez's improved late-season form as a factor in their eventual top-four finish. It is his job to lose. To increase the intrigue, highly rated 19-year-old Mike Penders has been named in the squad for this tournament. He was signed last year from Genk but stayed at the Belgian club for another 12 months to get more experience. United States international Gabriel Slonina, bought from Chicago Fire of MLS in 2022 for an initial $10million but still only 21, is also making the trip following a series of loans back to Chicago and around Europe. Penders is inexperienced but is being looked at to see how he compares with Sanchez and Jorgensen, although a loan next season is still a strong possibility. Meanwhile, Slonina is being considered for the third-choice 'keeper role, which is up for grabs following Marcus Bettinelli's sale to Manchester City this week. Brazil international Santos has been promoted to the Chelsea senior side for the first time, having joined the club from Vasco da Gama in his homeland two years ago. The midfielder has thrived on loan at their French sister club Strasbourg over the past 18 months, scoring 10 goals in 32 appearances in Ligue 1 last season. While Santos gives Chelsea more depth across central areas of the pitch, he is being earmarked to challenge fellow 21-year-old Lavia for a first XI place. Lavia has looked excellent when fit, but has made just 19 Chelsea first-team appearances (including 11 Premier League starts) since joining from Southampton for an initial £53million in the summer of 2023. The Belgium international will be keen to add to the mere 366 minutes of action he has managed in eight games for Chelsea this calendar year during the Club World Cup — especially with Santos now on the scene. With Chelsea already two wingers down, due to Jadon Sancho's loan from Manchester United not being either extended to cover this tournament or made permanent and Mykhailo Mudryk still provisionally suspended over a failed doping test, you would think Madueke's future is secure. Chelsea are not actively looking to sell the 23-year-old England forward but that stance has not halted speculation that he could be prised away if a bid is good enough. Partly because soon he is going to have Brazil's rising star Estevao Willian to contend with. Advertisement Estevao will officially join Chelsea after playing at the Club World Cup for Palmeiras. Chelsea agreed a deal with the Sao Paulo club, worth an initial €34million, in May last year with a view to him coming to London this summer. The 18-year-old likes to play on the right side, which is Madueke's preferred position, as well as centrally. Pedro Neto, bought from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a €63million deal last summer, also enjoys operating down the right more than he does the left — so that has to be a concern for Madueke, too. Madueke began to be used more on the left at the end of the 2024-25 domestic and European season. However, Chelsea are looking to buy another winger for that side of the pitch, as they have shown with their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund's 20-year-old Englishman Jamie Gittens. In other words, Madueke could do with a strong showing in America over the next few weeks. And finally, two more new additions who should be sensing an opportunity. 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Trevoh Chalobah has played alongside him more than most since January but there is a strong possibility he will be sold this summer after his winter-window recall from what was intended to be a season-long loan at Crystal Palace. (Top photos of Delap, left, and Sanchez: Getty Images)
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
FIFA stadium naming: Arlington wants recognition for World Cup
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Yahoo
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