NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Amy Atwell felt very comfortable in a familiar venue in the Los Angeles Sparks’ preseason finale.

The former Hawaii women’s basketball star made her case for a regular-season WNBA roster spot by pouring in a team-high 19 points in the Sparks’ 87-84 win over the Phoenix Mercury in the gym of UH’s Big West opponent Cal State Northridge on Saturday.

Atwell, who played 15-plus minutes off the bench, was a perfect 6-for-6 on 3-pointers and shot 6-for-7 overall. She put in a four-point play in the second quarter, then put in four more 3s after halftime.

“Reps and gym time,” Atwell said by way of explanation afterward at the Sparks’ post-game podium. “I’ve put a lot of time into my shot over the last six years, especially in Hawaii. I had a few knee injuries along the way, so all I could really do was shoot for a while. But I have that much confident in my shot that when I miss, it’s like, ‘oh, damn.’ But yeah, reps off the court.”

Atwell was picked in the third round of the WNBA Draft on April 11, becoming Hawaii's first player drafted since Judy Mosley-McAfee in 1997, but the Australian still faced an uphill climb to a full roster spot.

Saturday’s effort near the end of preseason camp could help her chances as she played alongside WNBA veterans like sisters Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike. There was some postgame Atwell buzz among reporters who cover the Sparks.

In the Sparks’ previous preseason game at the Seattle Storm on April 23, Atwell played over 17 minutes off the bench and shot 4-for-10 from the field (1-for-7 on 3s) for nine points with one rebound.

The Sparks’ regular-season opener is May 6.