Las Vegas Aces sweep Phoenix Mercury to win third WNBA title in four years

LOS ANGELES: The Las Vegas Aces, powered by 31 points from A’ja Wilson, captured their third title in four seasons on Friday, beating Phoenix 97-86 to complete a sweep of the WNBA Finals.

Wilson went 7-of-21 from the floor but 17-of-19 from the free throw line and added nine rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots and two steals as the visiting Aces took the best-of-seven championship series 4-0.

“We understood the assignment and what was in front of us,” Wilson said. “All we had to do was believe in one another and you see that. We’re grateful. We’re blessed. I wouldn’t do it with any other group.”

Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young each added 18 points, Young also contributing eight assists and seven rebounds, and Jewell Loyd had 12 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting for the Aces.

The only other team to win so many crowns in so short a span was the Houston Comets, who took the first four WNBA titles from 1997-2000.

“We shed tears over this team because we care so much,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “They kept at it, kept on it... they were just going to give until the wheels came off.”

Wilson, a 29-year-old American center, captured her third career title, all with Las Vegas, and became the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win a scoring title, Defensive Player of the Year award, season Most Valuable Player award and finals MVP trophy in the same season.

“For us to be able to celebrate this is truly special,” Wilson said. “I wish I could take this credit but it’s God working.”

Wilson is a four-time WNBA MVP, three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and two-time Olympic champion with the United States.

“We’ve got the best plyer in the world in A’ja Wilson,” Gray said after her fourth career WNBA