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Hughes' Clutch Three Lifts Aces Over Bears 96-93 in Hard-Fought Battle

Hughes Seals Nail-Biter, Aces Edge Bears in Thriller

From Holosports News
Published January 21, 2026

LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas Aces secured a thrilling 96-93 victory over the visiting Berlin Bears on Saturday night, as Ethan Hughes drained a go-ahead three-pointer with seconds remaining to cap a fiercely contested February 2026 season matchup. The win was crucial for the Aces, who showcased resilience and clutch play to overcome a strong offensive performance from the Bears.

The game was a back-and-forth affair from the opening tip. The Bears, fueled by the scoring of Zoe Sharma and Anya Petrova, established an early rhythm, forcing the Aces to play from behind for much of the first half. Sharma led all scorers with 20 points and added 9 rebounds, while Petrova contributed 17 points.

However, the Aces responded, with Elara Brooks and Ethan Hughes spearheading the charge. Brooks finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds, while Hughes added 15 points and a game-high 5 assists. The turning point came in the final minutes. After a critical field goal by Brooks and a timely three-pointer from Finnian Harper, the Aces found themselves within striking distance.

With the score tied and the clock winding down, Hughes received the ball on the perimeter and calmly sank a deep three, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. The Bears had one final opportunity, but a strong defensive stand by the Aces, anchored by Sasha Volkov’s two blocks, secured the hard-fought victory.

“We knew it was going to be tough, but we dug deep,” said Hughes after the game. “That shot felt good coming off my hand. It’s all about trusting the process and my teammates.”

Aces Head Coach Maria Rodriguez praised her team’s grit. “This was a character win. Berlin played incredibly well, especially on offense, but our defense stepped up when it mattered most, and Ethan made a huge shot for us.”

Key Notes:

  • Zoe Sharma led all scorers with 20 points for the Berlin Bears.
  • Ethan Hughes dished out a game-high 5 assists for the Las Vegas Aces.
  • The Aces secured a crucial 96-93 victory in a tight contest.
  • Bear’s Anya Lindgren recorded 5 blocks.
  • Las Vegas held a significant rebounding advantage, 57-52.

Linescore

Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total
Berlin Bears 24 16 30 23 93
Las Vegas Aces 29 28 21 18 96

Team Stats

Stat BER LAS
Field Goal % 39.2% 38.7%
Three-Point % 32.4% 38.1%
Free Throw % 70.4% 44.4%
Rebounds 52 57
Assists 24 26
Turnovers 10 10
Steals 8 7
Blocks 13 8
Player Pos MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF
Finnian Harper
F 33:12 11 4 10 40.0% 2 6 33.3% 1 3 33.3% 3 3 6 4 2 1 2 4
Zoe Sterling
G 18:53 7 3 7 42.9% 1 2 50.0% 0 2 0.0% 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 0
Taro Shimizu
F 11:51 2 1 5 20.0% 0 0 - 0 0 - 2 3 5 1 0 0 0 1
Giselle Laurent
G 9:28 3 0 4 0.0% 0 2 0.0% 3 4 75.0% 1 1 2 2 0 1 0 0
Marcus Johnson
C 26:51 2 1 9 11.1% 0 3 0.0% 0 0 - 3 6 9 0 2 0 3 0
Elias Bergstrom
F 22:19 10 3 10 30.0% 0 1 0.0% 4 5 80.0% 2 6 8 6 0 1 0 0
Noemi King
F 12:53 10 4 8 50.0% 2 5 40.0% 0 0 - 2 2 4 1 1 1 1 0
Elara Brooks
G 26:24 15 6 11 54.5% 3 6 50.0% 0 0 - 0 6 6 3 1 0 2 2
Ethan Hughes
G 27:30 15 6 10 60.0% 3 5 60.0% 0 2 0.0% 0 3 3 5 0 1 0 3
Bjorn Mortensen
C 21:09 8 3 6 50.0% 2 4 50.0% 0 2 0.0% 2 2 4 0 0 0 1 0
Isla Novikova
G 13:45 5 2 7 28.6% 1 4 25.0% 0 0 - 2 2 4 2 1 0 1 3
Sasha Volkov
F 15:45 8 3 6 50.0% 2 4 50.0% 0 0 - 1 3 4 1 0 2 0 0
Q1 12:00
Berlin Bears — Kai Petersen - substitution
Q1 12:00
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma - substitution
Q1 12:00
Berlin Bears — Quentin Ford - substitution
Q1 12:00
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang - substitution
Q1 12:00
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren - substitution
Q1 12:00
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson - substitution
Q1 12:00
Las Vegas Aces — Finnian Harper - substitution
Q1 12:00
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom - substitution
Q1 12:00
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks - substitution
Q1 12:00
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes - substitution
Q1 11:37
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren TURNOVER
Q1 11:13
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson missed post up
Q1 11:10
Berlin Bears — Kai Petersen defensive rebound
Q1 10:55
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang missed pick and roll
Q1 10:52
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren offensive rebound
Q1 10:50
Berlin Bears — Ball out of bounds
Q1 10:50
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren missed put back
Q1 10:32
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Elara Brooks
Q1 10:15
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma catch and shoot (2 pts)
Q1 10:00
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom missed pick and roll
Q1 09:58
Berlin Bears — Quentin Ford defensive rebound
Q1 09:53
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Kun Zhang
Q1 09:35
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes catch and shoot (2 pts) – Assisted by Elias Bergstrom
Q1 09:17
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma missed catch and shoot
Q1 09:16
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren offensive rebound
Q1 09:13
Berlin Bears — Quentin Ford missed put back
Q1 09:11
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson defensive rebound
Q1 09:07
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks catch and shoot (2 pts) – Assisted by Elias Bergstrom
Q1 08:52
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma missed pick and roll
Q1 08:51
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson defensive rebound
Q1 08:46
Las Vegas Aces — Finnian Harper catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Elias Bergstrom
Q1 08:32
Las Vegas Aces — Shooting foul on Finnian Harper
Q1 08:32
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma made free throw 3 of 3
Q1 08:32
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma made free throw 2 of 3
Q1 08:32
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma made free throw 1 of 3
Q1 08:18
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom catch and shoot (2 pts) – Assisted by Ethan Hughes
Q1 08:03
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang pick and roll (3 pts) – Assisted by Anya Lindgren
Q1 07:48
Las Vegas Aces — Anya Lindgren BLOCKS Ethan Hughes
Q1 07:45
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma defensive rebound
Q1 07:40
Berlin Bears — Ball out of bounds
Q1 07:40
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren missed catch and shoot
Q1 07:24
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Elias Bergstrom
Q1 07:08
Las Vegas Aces — Shooting foul on Finnian Harper
Q1 07:08
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma made free throw 3 of 3
Q1 07:08
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma missed free throw 2 of 3
Q1 07:08
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma missed free throw 1 of 3
Q1 06:53
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks pick and roll (2 pts) – Assisted by Ethan Hughes
Q1 06:38
Las Vegas Aces — Non-shooting foul on Ethan Hughes
Q1 06:19
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma missed one on one
Q1 06:18
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks defensive rebound
Q1 06:13
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks missed catch and shoot
Q1 06:10
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom offensive rebound
Q1 06:07
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom missed put back
Q1 06:04
Berlin Bears — Kai Petersen defensive rebound
Q1 05:59
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang catch and shoot (2 pts) – Assisted by Kai Petersen
Q1 05:41
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom missed one on one
Q1 05:38
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson offensive rebound
Q1 05:23
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom pick and roll (2 pts) – Assisted by Finnian Harper
Q1 05:02
Berlin Bears — Ball out of bounds
Q1 05:02
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang missed post up
Q1 04:47
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson TURNOVER
Q1 04:30
Berlin Bears — Zoe Sharma missed catch and shoot
Q1 04:29
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks defensive rebound
Q1 04:23
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes fast break (2 pts) – Assisted by Elara Brooks
Q1 04:08
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren pick and roll (2 pts) – Assisted by Kun Zhang
Q1 03:53
Las Vegas Aces — Finnian Harper missed pick and roll
Q1 03:51
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom offensive rebound
Q1 03:48
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson missed put back
Q1 03:45
Berlin Bears — Quentin Ford defensive rebound
Q1 03:39
Las Vegas Aces — Shooting foul on Elara Brooks
Q1 03:39
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren made free throw 3 of 3
Q1 03:39
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren made free throw 2 of 3
Q1 03:39
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren made free throw 1 of 3
Q1 03:20
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom post up (2 pts)
Q1 03:01
Berlin Bears — Elara Brooks BLOCKS Zoe Sharma
Q1 03:00
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom defensive rebound
Q1 02:55
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Elias Bergstrom
Q1 02:41
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang missed catch and shoot
Q1 02:38
Las Vegas Aces — Elias Bergstrom defensive rebound
Q1 02:32
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes missed fast break
Q1 02:31
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang defensive rebound
Q1 02:14
Berlin Bears — Anya Lindgren missed catch and shoot
Q1 02:12
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson defensive rebound
Q1 02:10
Las Vegas Aces — Ethan Hughes catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Finnian Harper
Q1 01:54
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang catch and shoot (2 pts) – Assisted by Kai Petersen
Q1 01:34
Las Vegas Aces — Kai Petersen STEAL from Elara Brooks
Q1 01:28
Berlin Bears — Kun Zhang catch and shoot (3 pts) – Assisted by Anya Lindgren
Q1 01:09
Las Vegas Aces — Marcus Johnson missed one on one
Q1 01:06
Berlin Bears — Kai Petersen defensive rebound
Q1 00:58
Berlin Bears — Quentin Ford missed fast break
Q1 00:56
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks defensive rebound
Q1 00:36
Las Vegas Aces — Ball out of bounds
Q1 00:36
Las Vegas Aces — Elara Brooks missed post up
Q1 00:13
Berlin Bears — Marcus Johnson BLOCKS Kai Petersen
Q1 00:10
Berlin Bears — Quentin Ford offensive rebound
Q1 00:10
Berlin Bears — Klaus Müller - substitution
Q1 00:10
Berlin Bears — Kai Petersen - substitution
Q1 00:00
Berlin Bears — Ethan Hughes STEAL from Anya Lindgren