Las Vegas – The Las Vegas AS goalkeeper, Dana Evans, could barely speak on the eve of the WNBA 2025 finals. His voice was beyond Scratchy. The 5 -foot 6 inch goalkeeper was barely audible.
A day later, she let her game speak.
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Evans scored 21 points in 26 minutes on the bench of Las Vegas to feed the AS on a return of 89-86 in the second half against the Phoenix Mercury for an advance in the 1-0 series. Reserve comrade Jewell Loyd Loyd added 18 points to help Las Vegas come back from a deficit of nine points in the middle of the third quarter.
Before the opening of the seven -game series, the coach of Las Vegas Aces, Becky Hammon, predicted that the AS bench could be a potential separator between the opponents. “I think we have the best global bench that we have had since I am here,” she said.
It would be difficult to disagree with this assessment, especially after the three-point victory by Las Vegas in which the AS bench has outlined the Mercury 41-16 reserves.
Of course, the starter and the MVP of the Quadruple A’ja Wilson league were also essential. She bypassed a double-double of 21 points and 10 reimbursed, and in a game with little defense for three guards, the experienced aces stiffened in the fourth quarter, which allowing only 15 points out of 33.3% shooting.
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Phoenix had the opportunity to withdraw in the second period and in the decreasing seconds of the game. The Mercury striker, Alyssa Thomas, went to the line of free throws with 24.6 remaining seconds to draw two who could have given Phoenix an advance at one point. But Thomas, a 65.1 career shooting game, missed both. The aces, unlike Mercury, would not leave their opportunity on their house plot.
Thomas finished just shy by a triple-double, contributing 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Kahleah Copper and Sutou scored Sabally 21 and 19 points, respectively, for Phoenix.
But it was not the beginners who set the tone of the match 1. These are the reserves, and the AS group was higher.
Match 2 will get up on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas.
This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared in Athletics.
Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Wnba
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