Recap: Kelsey Mitchell's Strong Effort Guides Team Bell to 88-83 Victory

Mitchell, who finished with a team-high 25 points, earned MVP 1 notice after shooting 9-for-18 from the field, including a 3-of-8 effort from three-point range, while sinking all four of her free throws. She also tallied a team-high seven assists in the victory and finished with 513 leaderboard points.

Team captain Kierstan Bell added 20 points with five rebounds and three assists to secure MVP 2 recognition. Bell was 7-for-15 from the floor, including three three-pointers, to collect 417 leaderboard points.

Guard Zia Cooke added 15 points for Team Bell, which led from start to finish and notched 20 fast break points.

Guard Allisha Gray paced Team Gray in the loss with her fourth consecutive 30-point effort, scoring a game-high 32 points with seven rebounds and six assists. Gray, who leads the league with 6,146 leaderboard points, earned her league-leading ninth Game MVP award after receiving MVP 2 distinction.

Forward Maddy Siegrist added 15 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 showing at the free throw line, while center Adut Bulgak contributed a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds.

KEY MOMENT

Team Bell, which never trailed in the game, broke away late in the first quarter by going on a 14-4 run, including nine points from Mitchell, to hold a 25-14 advantage. Team Gray narrowed the gap to 85-83 with 1:07 left on a pair of Gray free throws, but Team Bell sealed the victory by sinking 3-of-4 free throws in the final seconds.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Despite the loss, Gray extended her lead in the league standings to 1,041 points over guard Natasha Cloud heading into Friday’s action. Mitchell rose six spots to 12th place following her third game with 500 or more points this season. Bell remains in fourth place after her team’s win on Wednesday evening.

NOTES OF INTEREST

• Teams are now 11-for-32 in captain’s challenges through 20 games this season … Team Bell initiated a captain’s challenge with 4:00 remaining in the second quarter on a foul called against Mitchell, which was unsuccessful.

• Team Gray and Team Bell battled to a 22-22 tie in the second quarter, marking just the second period to result in a tie score this season … Team Hull and Team Sims played to a 24-all tie in the third quarter on March 2.

• Mitchell became the first player in Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball history to make 100 career three-pointers following her triple with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter … Mitchell stands as the league’s career leader in three-point field goals made and attempted.

• Mitchell, who scored 17 of her 25 points in the first half, has fashioned a 24.8 scoring average over her last four outings, including three games with 20 or more points.

• Mitchell also earned the 22nd Game MVP honor of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball career, extending her league record … She has earned MVP commendations in three of her last four games.

• Gray notched her league-leading sixth 30-point game of the season, including the fourth in a row … Gray has also reached the 25-point mark in 11 of her last 13 games dating back to last season.

• Gray moved into a tie for third place on the league’s career Game MVP awards list, joining forward Isabelle Harrison and Cloud with 16 selections … Gray has been voted as a Game MVP in 14 of her last 15 games.

• Forward Emily Engstler tied an Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball record with 11 rebounds in the first half, becoming the third player in league history to grab 11 caroms in the opening 20 minutes … She also notched her third consecutive outing with 10 or more rebounds.

• Engstler’s 15 rebounds are tied for the most by a player in a single game this season … Bulgak had 15 rebounds against Team Sims on March 10.

• Bulgak has fashioned 10 or more rebounds in four of the last six games and posted 10 of her 13 rebounds in the first half.

• Forward Theresa Plaisance grabbed 10 rebounds in the win for Team Bell on Wednesday, marking her fourth double-digit rebounding effort this season, including her third in a row … Over the last three games, Plaisance has collected 32 rebounds, including a career-high 12 caroms against Team Cloud on March 17.

• Guard Lexie Hull matched her season highs with seven assists and nine rebounds in the loss for Team Gray … She also contributed seven points.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Kelsey Mitchell (Team Bell, +90)
• #2 – Allisha Gray (Team Gray, +60)
• #3 – Kierstan Bell (Team Bell, +30)