Las Vegas Aces Secure Preseason Victory Over Japan National Team

Apr 27, 2026, 03:26
JapanSports

Introduction

On April 26, 2026, the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Japan national team with a final score of 94-78 during a WNBA preseason contest held at the Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Main Body

The outcome of the match was largely influenced by the Aces' utilization of physical superiority and interior defense. Despite the absence of A’ja Wilson due to injury, the Aces recorded nine steals and a significant volume of blocked shots, with NaLyssa Smith and Brianna Turner each recording three blocks. Head coach Becky Hammon attributed the defensive success to the team's size and disciplined rim protection, noting that while the Japanese team was difficult to contain on the perimeter, they were more manageable near the basket. Offensive contributions were distributed across several players, with Chennedy Carter leading the team with 18 points in her first appearance for the franchise since 2024. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray followed with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Additional scoring was provided by Kierstan Bell (14 points) and Jewell Loyd (13 points), while NaLyssa Smith achieved a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Carter noted that her approach focused on utilizing athleticism and identifying gaps in the opposing team's boxing-out technique. Integration of new personnel was a primary focus of the game. Stephanie Talbot started in place of Wilson, playing over 22 minutes, while Brianna Turner and Chennedy Carter also made their debuts. Coach Hammon described Talbot as a complementary player who provides balance to the team's existing offensive assets. Collectively, the new forwards contributed 11 rebounds. Analytical observation of the game indicates that the Aces faced initial challenges, including 12 turnovers and a defensive lapse in the first half that allowed Japan to shoot 41% from three-point range. Mai Yamamoto was the most effective offensive player for Japan, scoring a game-high 24 points. However, the Aces expanded a seven-point halftime lead into a double-digit margin during the second half through increased physical pressure and scoring depth.

Conclusion

The Las Vegas Aces will conclude their preseason preparations with a game against the Dallas Wings in Austin on May 3, which Coach Hammon intends to use for refining lineup combinations.

Vocabulary Learning

athleticism (n.)
physical prowess / the quality of being physically strong and active體能
Example:Her athleticism allowed her to score points from all over the court.
complementary (adj.)
supplementary / providing something that completes or enhances something else互補的
Example:Talbot was a complementary player who balanced the team's offensive assets.
double-digit (adj.)
two-digit / having two digits, usually between 10 and 99雙位數
Example:The Aces expanded a double-digit halftime lead into a larger margin.
integration (n.)
incorporation / the act of combining parts to make a whole整合
Example:Integration of new personnel was a primary focus of the game.
utilization (n.)
usage / the action of using something effectively使用
Example:The team's utilization of physical superiority was evident in their defensive dominance.

Sentence Learning

Despite the absence of A’ja Wilson due to injury, the Aces recorded nine steals and a significant volume of blocked shots, with NaLyssa Smith and Brianna Turner each recording three blocks.
Concessive Clause: The sentence begins with a concessive preposition 'Despite', introducing a contrast to the main clause. It shows that even though Wilson was absent, the team still performed well.讓步連接詞: 這句話以 'Despite' 作為讓步連接詞，表明儘管 A’ja Wilson 缺席，球隊仍取得了優異成績。
Offensive contributions were distributed across several players, with Chennedy Carter leading the team with 18 points in her first appearance for the franchise since 2024.
Participial Phrase: The clause 'with Chennedy Carter leading...' is a participial phrase modifying the noun phrase 'Offensive contributions', providing additional information about who led.分詞短語: 這句中的 'with Chennedy Carter leading...' 是一個分詞短語，修飾 'Offensive contributions'，說明誰在得分上領先。
Integration of new personnel was a primary focus of the game.
Nominalization: The verb 'integrate' is turned into a noun 'Integration', turning an action into a concept, which condenses the idea into a single word.名詞化: 這裡將動詞 'integrate' 名詞化為 'Integration'，將行動轉化為概念，語言更為精煉。
Analytical observation of the game indicates that the Aces faced initial challenges, including 12 turnovers and a defensive lapse in the first half that allowed Japan to shoot 41% from three-point range.
Subordinate Clause (that-clauses): The clause 'that allowed Japan to shoot 41%...' is a subordinate clause providing the reason for the defensive lapse, embedded within the larger sentence.從屬從句: 子句 'that allowed Japan to shoot 41%' 是一個從屬從句，說明防守失誤的後果，嵌入整個句子。
The Las Vegas Aces will conclude their preseason preparations with a game against the Dallas Wings in Austin on May 3, which Coach Hammon intends to use for refining lineup combinations.
Relative Clause: The clause 'which Coach Hammon intends to use...' modifies the noun phrase 'a game', giving additional information about the purpose of the game.相對從句: 相對從句 'which Coach Hammon intends to use...' 修飾 'a game'，說明該比賽的目的。