Minneapolis, MN — Maya Moore.
Anyone who has watched her play knows she can take over the game and isn’t afraid to hit big shots. While the WNBA All-Star game may not have been close the majority of the contest, it was down the stretch. In fact, Kristi Toliver caught fire for Team Delle Donne (a WNBA record 7 three-points) and put some pressure on Team Parker who was in the lead.
But, like she has done numerous times in her career, Moore made sure to help her team close the door with her strong end to the game. Moore finished with 18 points in the game as Team Parker went on to win 119-112 in the 15th WNBA All-Star game. Moore also chipped in with eight rebounds and six assists, too.
For the third straight year, Moore was named the MVP of the game – becoming only the second player to win three MVP awards in the all-star game, joining Lisa Leslie.
“It’s crazy. It really is. To just be fortunate enough to be in the positions to continue to win, to be playing well, to be healthy, to be here, and obviously to do it here in front of our home fans, friends, family is so special and makes it even more special,” Moore said on here three-peat MVP nod.
Outside of the home crowd in Minnesota going crazy, athletes online gave her praise as well.
As if winning three MVP awards wasn’t enough, Moore also took over the top spot in All-Star history with points by reaching a total of 110; she passed Tamika Catchings who previously held the record with 108 points.
3-point contest:
Once again this year, Allie Quigley was crowned the 3-point shooting winner – but she had to come from behind to do so. After winning last year, Quigley shot last after Kayla McBride, Kelsey Mitchell, Renee Montgomery, Jewell Loyd, and Kristi Toliver. After the first round, McBride had made the most threes, then Quigley barely beat Toliver to snag the second spot in the final round.
After finishing round one, Quigley was right back on the clock essentially 30 seconds later since McBride had the most baskets in the opening round of the contest. The Chicago guard showed no fatigue in her arm as she drilled 18 shots.
With pressure on the last rack, McBride hit her last shot – the money ball – to give her 18 makes as well and sending the two to another round to determine a winner.
Once again, Quigley stepped up and went off. She scorched the court as she dropped in 29 points — 34 points is the max — to reclaim her title as the 3-point shooting contest winner.
“It was so exciting to be able to do it again,” Quigley said after the game. “It was a little bit more interesting than I thought it was going to be with the tiebreaker, but so many good shooters in that group, I’m just really happy that I was able to get in the zone there and win it.
Since she won, Quigley was also written a check for $10,000 to donate to the charity of her choice – the Patrick Quigley Foundation.
“It’s for my dad. He passed away when I was young and he went to this high school that it’s going to go towards and so did I, and it’s just for underprivileged kids that aren’t able to maybe have the money to go to this school, so it’s just a nice scholarship that I’m able to give back, and it means a lot. Every time even last year I think about him right before I start shooting, so that’s probably the reason why I’m able to win it.”
Other Highlights
Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm also made history as she too, passed Catchings in the record books. Bird now has played the most minutes in an All-Star, now playing in 211 minutes.
In her first all-star game, rookie A’ja Wilson scored the second most points by a first-year player with 18 during the game.
Dallas’ Liz Cambage joined a list of players who have dunked during the All-Star game as she put in the final two points on the board for Team Parker.
“I loved that dunk there at the end,” Skylar Diggins-Smith stated on Cambage’s slam. “It was the exclamation point. She can play above the rim so easily. To be on the same team as her and share this experience.”
