Sunday afternoon’s matchup between the Washington Mystics and the Portland Fire evolved from a standard mid-season clash into an historic marathon. Lasting 3 hours and 35 minutes in real time, the nonstop slugfest at CareFirst Arena featured 21 ties, 12 lead changes, and four overtimes. When the final buzzer sounded, Washington emerged with a 124-123 victory in a game that tied the record for the longest in WNBA history.
Here is a breakdown of the historic contest.
The Washington Trio Makes History
The Mystics’ offensive firepower drove the record-breaking outcome. Washington became the first team in WNBA history to have three players score at least 27 points in a single game:
- Sonia Citron (32 points): Citron anchored the team during clutch time. Despite visibly limping and dealing with severe cramps down the decisive stretch in the fourth OT, she caught a pass from Shakira Austin and finished a tough layup with 21.4 seconds left to give Washington the lead for good.
- Michaela Onyenwere (30 points): Reaching a career-high, Onyenwere carried the offense through the grueling middle quarters when Portland threatened to pull away.
- Kiki Iriafen (27 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists): Also recording a career-best performance, Iriafen provided the crucial interior presence the Mystics required.
The Carla Leite Experience
For Portland, Carla Leite delivered a spectacular performance, finishing with a career-high 32 points and 9 assists. Her impact was most evident during the highest-pressure moments of the game.
Washington seemingly had the contest wrapped up in regulation. However, with 0.4 seconds remaining, Leite sank a difficult, 25-foot stepback 3-pointer off the glass to tie the game at 87-87. Down by three with 18.3 seconds left in the first overtime, Leite drilled another long three-pointer to force double overtime. Although her final driving runner bounced off the back rim with under a second left in the fourth OT, her performance established her as a formidable closer.
A Nod to 2001
It is fitting that the Mystics were involved in this matchup. Prior to Sunday, there had only been one other quadruple-overtime game in WNBA history, which took place on July 3, 2001.
The Washington Mystics won that game as well, defeating the Seattle Storm 72-69. The fact that Washington scored 124 points in this modern matchup illustrates the significant increase in pace and offensive efficiency across the league over the past 25 years.
The Final Word
The marathon matchup showcased immense competitive endurance. Play was not always perfectly clean—both teams were heavily fatigued by the third overtime, and Washington’s Georgia Amoore exited early with knee soreness—but the resilience on display was remarkable. From Bridget Carleton hitting a turnaround jumper with 3.4 seconds left in triple overtime to keep Portland alive, to Citron fighting through leg cramps for the game-winner, the 160-minute contest stands out as an unforgettable exhibition of WNBA grit.
