WNBA fines Brittney Sykes, Layshia Clarendon for Mystics-Sparks scuffle, suspends Sky’s Ruthy Hebard
The WNBA announced on Monday that Mystics guard Brittney Sykes and Sparks guard Layshia Clarendon will be fined for an altercation in Sunday’s Washington-Los Angeles game.
The league is also suspending Chicago Sky forward Ruthy Hebard a single game for a separate incident in Sunday’s game against the Dallas Wings.
Sykes and Clarendon were both ejected after a physical altercation in the final minute of the the 91-83 Sparks win. Sykes committed a hard foul when Clarendon drove to the basket. Clarendon responding by taking Sykes down to the court with a tackle. The players had to be separated in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Both were issued technical fouls, and Sykes was issued a personal foul for the initial contact. Sparks backup Rae Burrell took Clarendon’s place in the lineup and on the free throw line, where she extended the Los Angeles lead to 85-80 with 32 seconds remaining in the game.
The WNBA does not disclose the amount that players are fined.
The league suspended Hebard for leaving the bench to join an altercation during the Wings-Sky game. Hebard’s Chicago teammate Dana Evans and Dallas’ Odyssey Sims squared up on the baseline after a physical play in the paint. Hebard walked down the baseline from the bench toward the scuffle before being pulled back by a Sky staffer.
But it was too late. She’d already met the WNBA’s threshold requiring a suspension for leaving the bench during an altercation. She’ll miss Tuesday’s home game against the Minnesota Lynx. Neither Evans nor Sims were fined or suspended. Chicago won the game, 104-96.
Wings forward Arike Ogunbowale was also fined for criticizing officials postgame and making contact with an official during a separate incident in the game.
