SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Rapid City native Becky Hammon is in her fourth season as the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces. Her squad is set to play on KELO-TV Saturday afternoon, and it’s been a tough go of it for the two-time champs this season.
The Aces are sitting at 9-11, ninth place in the WNBA. That’s a steep decline from the pace of winning better than 75% of their games the last five seasons with back-to-back titles.
“We’ve had success,” Aces guard Chelsea Gray said. “When you have somebody that sustain that, for multiple years in a row, I think you’re going to get everybody’s best shot. That’s where I think the mentality is. I don’t think that we’re vulnerable.”
The Aces have won consecutive games just once since June 1. They are allowing 87 points per game in their losses. The low point of the season may have been a 27-point defeat at Indiana on July 3.
“There has to be some fight back,” Hammon said after that setback. “If they’re going to allow that kind of physicality, my team has to step up and match that physicality. Period. So, we just get punked all night because one team is physical and one team is not.”
“Our defense sucks in all the games and all the Ls that we’ve taken,” Aces center A’ja Wilson said. “Our defense has been non-existent from top to bottom. So obviously, this league is way too good for you not to play defense.”
We are right around the midway point of the season, which leaves plenty of time for Las Vegas to change course in time for the postseason.
“It’s been a process,” Hammon said. “Every team goes at a different pace. And I think for me right now, you just continue to teach, continue to demand that effort. The effort part is huge for me.”
Hammon and the Aces will host the Golden State Valkyries Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. You can watch the game on KELO-TV.
