While the West was battling the East in the 2014 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike were having their own little battle. Appropriately enough, experience won out.
The Stanford grads played reserve roles in the West’s 125-124 overtime victory over the East in Phoenix, giving bragging rights to Nneka of the Los Angeles Sparks.
Nneka, in her second year in the league, played 20:37 and made four of nine shots from the field. She finished with eight points, 11 rebounds six assists and just one turnover. Chiney, in her rookie year, played 18:59, made four of eight shots from the field for eight points. She added five rebounds three assists and no turnovers.
The Ogwumike sisters were the first siblings to play in the same WNBA All-Star Game.
Meanwhile, the sisters, with family ties to Nigeria, have teamed together to raise funds for UNICEF.
“We’re all about Girls Empowerment and we want to show what girls basketball in the United States can do to help girls across the globe,” the sisters stated on their web site. “This fundraising competition is open to all girls youth basketball teams! Middle school and high school aged girls are all encouraged to participate. Totally up to you if you want to create a team from your school, AAU or other basketball league. We have three major goals for this competition:
1. Engage American girls basketball players in community service. You all have the power to make a difference and we would be honored if you’d do that with us!
2. Raise awareness among Americans about what is happening right now in Nigeria. It’s not just the terrible situation with the kidnapped girls — there are a lot of other needs for girls in Nigeria.
3. Raise money for UNICEF Nigeria’s emergency fund that will help to support programs such as girls education and girls empowerment among other critical initiatives protecting and saving the lives of children.
We are really excited to launch this competition, see all the good that girls basketball can accomplish, and reward teams and players for their work!”
(You can see what the sisters are doing with their fundraising here.)
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
Sunday’s Chronicle says Chiney got 15 points. Who’s right?
We are. The AP writer looked at Katie Douglas’ total, which was 15 points. Her name in the official box was right above Chiney’s. The official box score on the WNBA web site shows Chiney with four field goals and 8 points.
It’s an all-star game. Everybody knows that basketball players do not play defense in an all-star game. The stats can’t be taken seriously.