Anchorage’s Alissa Pili was all smiles after her first 20-point game. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Lynx.
Rookie Alissa Pili of Anchorage is still finding her way in the WNBA, but Friday night she found her way into the Alaska basketball record book.
A 3-point barrage in the fourth quarter keyed her first 20-point game for the Minnesota Lynx in a 95-71 victory over Phoenix in the Twin Cities.
Pili’s point total was the third-highest scoring game in the WNBA by a player from Alaska, narrowly missing the record of 22 points shared by Eagle River’s Kelsey Griffin (2013) and Fairbanks’ Ruthy Hebard (2020).
The 5-foot-11 forward got there thanks to 4-of-4 shooting night from 3-point land, including three in a row in the fourth quarter. She also cashed in on her first career three-point post bucket after putting back an offensive rebound and hitting the free throw.
Earlier this season against Seattle, Pili had earned an and-1 opportunity missed the free throw. This time she made it – a theme for the night when it seemed like she couldn’t miss. She made 7-of-9 field goals and followed up one of her two misses.
Coming into the game with a career high of five points in her first three appearances, she had that beat in the first half with eight points. Pili didn’t play in the third quarter but then played the final 7:35 of the fourth.
“I feel good. I didn’t know when my name was going to be called, and coach has been telling me, ‘Be ready,’” Pili said in a video posted by Minnesota’s social media team. “So that’s what I did, and I just let it fly. Wasn’t worried about nothing else.”
Pili lets one fly. Photo courtesy Minnesota Lynx
