Chicago Sky and WNBA
Chicago Sky news, scores and features, as well as coverage of the WNBA and women’s college basketball.
Her late-game heroics have Sky in contention for final berth
Coming into Tuesday’s game, the Sky were a game and a half behind the Sparks for the eighth and final playoff spot. What gives the Sparks an edge as both teams continue their playoff pushes is their rosters’ collective experience winning championships.
The Sky (11-15) shot 55.1% overall and 58.3% from three-point range and finished with 24 assists on 38 field goals.
In her first season with the Sky, Mabrey entered Friday averaging career highs across the board, putting up 14.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 29.8 minutes.
Taurasi hit the mark with 8:23 remaining in the third quarter against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night.
Friday marks 11 weeks since Harrison had surgery to repair a tear in her left meniscus, which the Sky’s new forward said came out of left field.
Smith leads the Sky in rebounds per game, averaging 6.8, to go with her 9.5 points and 1.6 blocks.
“E is a staple,” teammate Courtney Williams said. “Not only for our team but for this league. I tell her all the time, ‘When you talk, people listen.’ There are a lot of things this league could do better ... So, whatever she says, I stand with her.”
‘‘Current rules are bad for the WNBA brand and, more importantly, a real threat to our health and safety,” she said
Five players scored in double figures in the must-win game against the 10th-place Mercury.
Former coach/GM James Wade’s hurried attempt to stop the bleeding in the wake of the departures of Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley not only failed to prevent a rebuild, but it also poses a realistic hindrance to the Sky’s future success.
Three-time All-Star Kahleah Copper finished with a team-high 17 points after scoring a career-high 37 on Tuesday against the Aces. But Copper alone can’t propel the Sky to the postseason.
“I feel like I’ve been preparing the last eight seasons to be able to be in a role like this and feel OK doing it,” Loyd told the Sun-Times.
To create some separation between themselves and the bottom four teams in the league, the Sky need more cohesion in moments of adversity.
Copper scored 37 points in the Sky’s 107-95 loss at Wintrust Arena.
“Just like all the fans of the WNBA, you want to see the ‘W’ continue to keep improving,” Wade said. “The Sky, we have to. We know that.”
“You’re going to go through little phases where you’re not playing your best basketball, but you can’t attach your self-worth to it,” Mabrey said.
Former Sky assistant Awvee Storey rejoined the team as director of basketball, strategy and personnel after four seasons on former Sun coach Curt Miller’s staff in Connecticut beginning in 2019.
“Every person wants to play in their hometown, whether it’s playing there for college, whatever it is.” said Loyd, who played high school ball at Niles West. “There’s always a different feel. . . . At the same time, I’ve only known the Seattle Storm my whole [WNBA career].’’
“I mean, we came back,” interim coach/general manager Emre Vatansever said. “There are 40 minutes in a game, and there are ups and downs. Of course, there are some times that disconnection happens for both teams. But, no, nothing big.”
The Sky have not commented on when and if they will separate the coach/general manager role, which is being filled on an interim basis by Emre Vatansever after James Wade’s abrupt departure for the NBA.
“I’ve been on a team that hasn’t made the playoffs,” Copper said. “Then I’ve been on a team that went on that run and won [a title]. With that, I want to continue to keep that strong and make the playoffs.”
The Cubs co-owner also has an ownership stake in the WNBA’s Sky.
“It’s one of those trades that worked out for both teams,” Mystics GM Mike Thibault said. “Kah has become a focal part of their team, but she still would have looked good in our uniform.”
“We weren’t prepared well, and that is my responsibility,” interim coach/general manager Emre Vatansever said. “I take ownership of that. I could have prepared them well, and I didn’t.”
“Experiences are your best teachers,” Courtney Williams said, “being so close, getting our feelings hurt by the end of the game. We are just going to keep getting our feelings hurt until we figure it out.”
“We forced them to have a high level of communication,” Sky interim coach/general manager Emre Vatansever said. “That shows us in the game that we can talk to each other during huddles, during actions. That was our goal.”
“When you look at the fifth and sixth seeds, you only have three wins [separating us],” coach/general manager Emre Vatansever said. “We’re right there.”
In the Sky’s 12 victories, the bench averaged 20 points while shooting 43.7% and 44% on threes. In their 16 losses, it averaged 17 points, shooting 36% and 27.5% on threes.
This year, Copper’s second act has been even more dominant. Through the Sky’s eight games since the All-Star break, Copper is averaging 24.4 points, and she scored a career-high 37 points against the Aces two weeks ago.
After three straight games eclipsing 100 points, the Sky lost 88-79 to the Lynx.
“I wanted to verbalize that there should never be a situation where her character is misinterpreted or anything involving the past is brought up in a situation that she had nothing to do with,” Elizabeth Williams said.
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