Recap: Team Cloud Secures 91-87 Win in Week Three Finale

Eric Rhew

Mar 17, 2024

DALLAS — Forward Ruthy Hebard and forward/center Laeticia Amihere combined for 41 points and 19 rebounds as Team Cloud edged Team Gray, 91-87, in the second game of Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball doubleheader at Fair Park Coliseum.

The win allowed Team Cloud to close the penultimate week of the season with a 2-1 record, while Team Gray slipped to 1-2.

Hebard, the game’s MVP 2 selection, authored her second double-double of the season after setting season highs with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Amihere, meanwhile, received MVP 3 distinction after adding 17 points, including a 9-for-16 effort at the free throw line, in addition to grabbing eight rebounds.

Forward Isabelle Harrison added 16 points, including a perfect 10-for-10 showing at the charity stripe, while team captain Natasha Cloud chipped in 11 points with seven rebounds and seven assists.

Guard Allisha Gray paced all scorers with 36 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field and 14-of-17 at the free throw line. Gray, who also added seven rebounds and seven assists, was one of three Team Gray players to score in double figures.

Guard Kelsey Mitchell tallied 11 points along with 10 points from guard/forward Haley Jones in the loss.

KEY MOMENT

Team Cloud used a 9-0 run, including seven points from Hebard, over a two-minute span to turn a 75-74 deficit into an 83-75 advantage with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Gray will enter the final week of the season with an 855-point lead over guard Odyssey Sims, who moved into second place on the leaderboard after guiding her squad to a 3-0 week. Cloud stands in third place, while guard Kierstan Bell rounds out the captain quartet for Week Four.

NOTES OF INTEREST

Team Gray initiated a captain’s challenge on a foul called against guard/forward Haley Jones with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter, which was unsuccessful … Team Cloud also initiated a captain’s challenge for an offensive foul charged against forward Isabelle Harrison with 36 seconds left in regulation, which was also unsuccessful … Teams are now 10-for-29 in captain’s challenges this season.
Nine of the 18 games this season have been decided by four points or less.
Team Cloud’s 39 free throw attempts are the most by a team in any game this season and just one shy of matching the league record set on February 26, 2022, when Team Smith attempted 40 foul shots against Team Harrison.
Gray, who was 14-for-17 at the foul line, tied the Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball single-game record with her 17 free throw attempts … Sims established the mark with 17 free throw attempts against Team Harrison on March 4, 2023.
Gray also set a new league record after scoring 116 points in her three games during Week Three, besting the previous mark of 102 points by forward Tianna Hawkins in Week Two of the 2022 season.
Gray authored her league-leading fifth game with 30 or more points this season, including her fourth in the last six outings … She also extended her streak of consecutive 20-point outings to 12 games dating back to last season.
Forward Theresa Plaisance grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in the loss for Team Gray.
Forward Emily Engstler registered her third game with 10 or more rebounds this season after finishing with 10 caroms … Engstler also notched a season-high five steals.