Evina Westbrook scored 10 points with 10 rebounds for a double-double as Team Sims defeated Team Caldwell.

Recap: Team Effort Helps Team Sims Defeat Team Caldwell, 73-64

Ryan Legarsky

Feb 19, 2025

NASHVILLE — Four players reached double figures, including a team-high 22 points from guard Odyssey Sims, as Team Sims edged Team Caldwell, 73-64, to close out Wednesday night’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball doubleheader at Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Team Sims begins the third week of the campaign at 1-0 with the victory, while Team Caldwell drops to 0-1.

Captain Maya Caldwell totaled a season-high 23 points with eight rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals in the loss for Team Caldwell to garner MVP 1 accolades and 315 leaderboard points.

Sims, meanwhile, added five rebounds, three assists, and five steals to her 22-point performance to earn MVP 2 plaudits and 625 leaderboard points.

Guard Tyasha Harris pitched in 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting with eight rebounds and a pair of steals to grab MVP 3 notice and 179 leaderboard points for Team Caldwell.

Guard Taylor Mikesell contributed a season-high 13 points in Team Sims’ victory, while guard Evina Westbrook led the game with 10 rebounds to go with 10 points for her second career double-double.

KEY MOMENT

Trailing by a 49-48 margin late in the third quarter, Team Sims put together a 9-2 spurt to claim a 57-51 advantage on a Mikesell three-pointer. After forward Dorie Harrison converted a traditional three-point play to trim the Team Caldwell deficit to 57-54, Team Sims strung together 12 of the next 15 points for a 69-57 lead it did not relinquish.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Sims remains in second place on the overall leaderboard, trailing forward Maddy Siegrist, who has 4,347 points. The Week Three leaderboard has Team Siegrist holding seven of the top 10 positions with Sims in fourth place while Westbrook and Mikesell sitting in the seventh and eighth spots, respectively.

NOTES OF INTEREST

Wednesday’s contest served as Caldwell’s debut as an Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball team captain … Team leaders are now 11-12 when making their captain’s debut.
Team Sims and Team Caldwell combined to score just 137 points in Wednesday’s nightcap, marking the second-lowest combined point total in a game in AU Pro Basketball history … The record stands at 133 points, which was set on February 9, 2022, in a game between Team Hawkins and Team Harrison.
Caldwell reached double figures for the fifth time in her last six games following her season-high 23-point performance against Team Sims on Wednesday night.
Sims reached 20 points for the sixth time this season and has tallied 20 or more points in 10 of her last 11 games dating back to last season … She also extends her league record to 35 games with at least 20 points.
Mikesell tallied double figures in scoring for the second straight game after her 13-point effort on Wednesday night.
Guard Kierstan Bell finished in double figures for the fifth time this season, including her third straight game.
Westbrook posted a double-double for the second straight game … She joins Siegrist and guard Crystal Bradford as the only players in the league with multiple double-doubles this season.
Harris’ 16 points marked her sixth double-digit scoring output in seven games this season … She is one of four players to tally at least 10 points in six or more games this season.
Sims earned her 23rd career Game MVP certificate and is now one shy of the AU Pro Basketball record, which is held by guard Kelsey Mitchell.
Caldwell is the seventh different player to receive MVP 1 plaudits this season.