SPORTS

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By Naimah Latif

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

CHICAGO - The Wintrust Arena came alive as a festive crowd got ready to celebrate another home game Chicago Sky win as the team faced the Atlanta Dream Wednesday July 10, 2024.

The Sky sjot out of the gate withan early lead, with points scored by Sky center Angel Reese and Sky guard Moriah Jefferson and a heavy Sky defense that kept Atlanta scoreless until 5:40 left in the first quarter.

A few well calculated 3-pointers put Atlanta ahead 13-12, but a score by  Sky guard Chennedy Carter Carter put Chicago back on top 14-13. At the end of the first quarter, the Sky's lead ha.  slipped away, ending the quarter in a deficit of 18-22. 

Sky guard Diamond DeShields kicked off the second quarter scoring, followed Angel  Reese.

Atlanta forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus missed two free throws, allowing Chicago to narrow the gap, and a basket by Angle Reese tied the score at 28-28.

More shots fired off by Sky's Chennedy Carter put Chicago in the lead with 36-32.  Two missed free throws by Atlanta center Tina Charles gave an opening to Chicago to pull ahead. A shot by Chennedy Parker brought the score to 36-34 at the half.

Chicagao SKy's Angel Reese (5) goes airborne as she maneuvers through heavy defense from the Atlanta Dream to fire off a shot. Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News

Rebounds by Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard and along withwell placed free throws helped Atlanta pull ahead in the third quarter but Chicago came back to tie the score 50-50 with 2;29 lefrt in the quarter. At the end of the third quatrter the teams were deadlocked at 54-54.

Two missed free rthrows by Atlanta center Tina Charles gave an opening to Chicago to pull ahead.

Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter (7) fights her way to the basket to pull the Sky ahead in the fourth quarter. Photo by John L. Alexander  /ON AIR Daily News

But two more free throws  hit by Atlanta forward  Naz Hillman tied the game again at 60-60. 

 In the last three minutes of the game Chicago pulled ahead. A rebound snatched by Sky center Kamilla Cordoso led to timely baskets sunk by guard Chennedy Carter and forward Angel Reese, and the Chicago Sky clinched a 78-69 win over the Atlanta Dream.

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

Inside of a packed-to-the-brim Wintrust Arena, a raucous Windy City crowd and a national TV audience were treated to one of the best games of the WNBA season. The Chicago Sky rallied late from a 15-point deficit to defeat the Indiana Fever, 88-87. 

The teams’ third matchup of the season was a back-and-forth thriller that saw the Sky reign victorious. Leading the way for Chicago was their coveted rookie forward Angel Reese, who posted a career-high 25 points along with 16 rebounds, her 8th consecutive double-double. Reese gave praise to her teammates and coaching staff when asked postgame about her increased efficiency. 

“(Point Guard) Lindsay Allen does a great job making sure we get in our right spots before the play’s even called,” Reese said. “Being able to get that vocal leadership and listening to our coaches really helped.”

Also on court during Reese’s record-breaking day was her collegiate rival and opponent, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Of course, she lived up to the hype. Clark was the center of the Fever offense, knocking down five three-pointers en route to a final statline of 17 points and 13 assists. Much of her success was found in the pick-and-roll set with Aliyah Boston.i

The atmosphere of the game was much of the same we’ve seen in their previous matchups. A physical battle both on the perimeter and in the paint, neither team pulled ahead by more than six through the first 25 minutes of action. 

Angel Reese defends a shot attempt from the Fever's NaLyssa Smith. (Photo by Brandon Collier, ON AIR Daily News.)

The hot hands of Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and the aforementioned Clark gave the Fever a 15-point lead with 90 seconds to play in the third quarter. 

But Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was unfazed, showing confidence in her team to overcome such deficits. 

“It shows growth,” Weatherspoon said. “It’s something that the coaching staff and I spoke about as soon as the game was over, maintaining composure and keeping a cool head in a hot game in this type of electric atmosphere… But we know we can stay composed and change things to make it better.”

.

The former WNBA legend spoke favorably of all her players, but gave praise to her frontcourt of Kamilla Cardoso and Reese specifically. The tandem combined to out rebound the entire Indiana Fever team by themselves, an incredible feat for two rookies to accomplish. 

Add in the 48-28 point differential in the paint for the Sky, and it’s easy to see that this comeback was forged in the trenches.

Sky guard Chennedy Carter’s recent addition to the starting lineup is paying huge dividends as of now, as the Texas A&M alum’s 24 points and five assists helped space the floor quite well. She’s now averaging 20 points per game on 75 percent shooting in her three starts this season.

And indeed it was the physical play of Reese, Cardoso, and Carter that brought the momentum swinging in the Sky’s direction. Getting to the rim, drawing contact, and finishing with an and-one is a staple of this Sky offense and we saw this trio do just that several times down the stretch

Despite the offensive prowess, some defensive miscues from the Sky along with clutch shooting from the Fever found them within a single point with just seconds to go. Aliyah Boston missed a top-of-key two-pointer and the game was secured as Kamilla Cardoso pulled down her 10th and final rebound. Notably, Caitlin Clark only shot once in the final 7 minutes of the game despite her earlier success.

With the victory, the Sky now move to 6-9 and sit at the 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Fever fall to 7-11 and sit just behind the Sky in the 5th spot. Both teams will be back in action on Thursday, June 27th.

The Fever's Cairlin Clark (22) is met with a physical defensive presence from the Sky's Chennedy Carter (7). (Photo by Brandon Collier, ON AIR Daily News.)

The Sky's Lindsay Allen, Chenney Carter and Marina Mabrey regroup after a foul call larte in the third quarter. (Photo by Brandon Collier, ON AIR Daily News.) 

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) positions herself to snatch a rebound from Dallas Wings forward Morgan Bertsch (22) to maintain the lead in the first quarter. Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News

By Naimah Latif

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

@NaimahL

A packed stadium and a revved up daytime crowd seemed to energize the Chicago Sky, who, after a four game losing streak, snatched and held on to an early lead against the Dallas Wings and ended the game with an 83-72 victory. 

 Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) was top scorer for the game, with a stellar 31 points, including 7 three pointers and 4 free throws. Top scorers against Dallas were Sky guard Chennedy Carter (7) and Sky forward Marina Mabrey (4) each with 19 points. Sky forward Angel Reese (5), also played an outstanding game, with 18 rebounds, 16 points and 2 steals. 

The Sky scored the first basket right after the tip off and good defense kept the Wings from getting on the scoreboard for the first few minutes of the game.  By the end of the first quarter, the Sky had  a nine point lead with a score of 20-11. 

Dallas made a valiant effort in the second quarter, sinking 2 free throws and landing a 3-pointer, narrowing the gap to 20-16. but a few missed layups  by Dallas prevented a tied score.  A Sky  foul sent Dallas center Teaira McCowan  (15) to the free throw line  to hit one out of two shots, closing the gap to 20-17. 

The Sky scored 22 points in the second quarter, while  applying heavy defense to hold the  Wings to  just 14 points in the quarter. Chicago went into halftime with a healthy 42-25 lead over Dallas. 

 Dallas Guard Arike Ogunbowale exploded in the third quarter , hitting 2 free throws and a series of shots to close the gap.  Two   3-pointers by the Wings’ Ogunbowale  brought Dallas closer to a possible comeback. Dallas picked up even more momentum in the fourth quarter,  and a series of fouls by both teams led to a battle at the free throw line.  

Chicago Sky  centter Kamilla Cardoso (10) grabs a rebound from Dallas Wings forward Morgan Bertsch (22) as the Sky widens the point gap in the second quarter. Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News.

Sky center Kamilla  Cardoso missed two free throws. A  3-pointer by Dallas  narrowed the Sky’s lead to a  ten point spread of 69-59.  Chicago called a time out with 2:52 left in the fourth quarter, to give the team a chance to regroup in the face of Dallas‘ aggressive drive.

Chicago Sky‘s Dana Evan’s (11) maneuvers past Dallas Wings forward Jacy Sheldon (4) on her way to the basket.  Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News

Angel Reese hit a 3- pointer coming out of time out for a score of 71-59, and again a series of fouls brought the battle to the free throw line.  The Sky’s Dana Evans  made 2 shots and the Wings‘ Jacy Sheldon countered with 2 shots.
With less than one minute left, Dana Evan’s was back at the free throw line, shooting 2 for 2 twice in a row, keeping Dallas out of striking range of a win. With seconds left  in the game, a shot by Sky guard Chennedy Carter brought the final score Chicago 83, Dallas 72.  

Top scorers Marina Mabrey and Chennedy Carter noted that aggressive rebounding by Angel Reese was a great asset.

"It's good to have a rookie with so much awareness," Marina Mabrey said of her teammate Angel Reese, whose positive energy  she said was a motivating factor for today's win.

The Sky’s momentum  slowed  down in the last minutes of the game, something the team has to be careful doesn’t happen in the future, observed Chennedy Carter.
”We just need to keep our foot on the gas." she said.

 By Joshua M. Hicks

Sports Editor

ON AIR Daily News

(@joshmhicksmedia)

CHICAGO - Another home loss came to the feet of the Sky,  Wednesday June  12, 2024, this time handed to them by the league’s best team in the Connecticut Sun, 83-75. The loss gives the team a 4-7 record. 

The Sky threw the first punch, thanks to a couple of baskets from rookie sensation forward Angel Reese. But Sun’s forward Alyssa Thomas turned up the heat, responding to the Sky quickly through her six-point, four-rebound first quarter. 

While the Sun made their runs, Guard Chennedy Carter and forward Isabelle Harrison came off the bench and gave a spark to the Sky, igniting a solid presence on both ends of the floor that helped the team withstand the Sun’s attack. In a back and forth first half, the Sky held their own, keeping the game within a two-point deficit heading into halftime, 40-38.

The battle continued in the second half, with Reese and Carter continuing to lead the charge in keeping the game as close as possible. But the turnovers began to creep up on the Sky, combining that with continuous growing pains defensively and the Sun’s offensive force led by Thomas and center Brionna Jones preventing the Sky from getting over the victorious hump. 

Sky rookie center Kamilla Cardoso has now gotten a few games under her belt. Being her first game without minute restrictions, she knows that this process of growth in the league is going to take time. She wants to use this game to build and learn from mistakes. 

“[The Sun] are a great team,” Cardoso said. “They were just undefeated, they moved a lot and it took adjusting to them. We’re going to get better each and every day and games like this are good so we can learn from our mistakes and go out there for the next game.”

While Cardoso took the learning approach, head coach Teresa Weatherspoon took a more aggressive, teaching approach when discussing the importance of protecting the ball and not deviating from their plan. The team had 19 turnovers, with 11 of them being committed in the second half and the Sun scoring 14 points off of those turnovers, despite only shooting 21 percent from the 3-point line.

.“It’s about the details,” Weatherspoon said. “Pay attention to details. The smallest details matter in this game and we have to correct that mess immediately.”Frustration is not a secret in the locker room. But veteran guard Marina Mabrey is demonstrating the importance of not just encouraging her teammates, but being patient with the growing process of a young team. Through her leadership, she is finding that fine line of leading by example, especially with the rookies, while also accepting the realities of where the team is in the fight for progression.She praised the rookies for their efforts, while also acknowledging that they, along with the team in general, have room to grow.

“We have to give [the rookies] time and you have to give us [veterans] time to gel with them too,” Mabrey said. “Be positive with them and say despite the loss you really did play a great game and keep doing those things, also while trying to figure out how to be a better team at the same time.”

By Joshua M Hicks. 

Sports Editor

ON AIR Daily News

(@joshmhicksmedia)

The Sky made a valiant effort in the fourth quarter on Saturday afternoon June 8, 2024 at the Wintrust Arena, but came up short as the team suffered another loss against the Atlanta Dream, 89-80. The team is now 4-6 with this loss. 

Slowness was the name of the game when the Sky stepped on the court in the first quarter. The team shot 33 percent from the field as they struggled to find their offensive rhythm. The Dream took advantage and blitzed the Sky, taking a commanding 29-15 lead thanks to the tandem of forward Allisha Gray (15) and center Tina Charles (31). Their efforts led the team to 54 percent shooting 

and scoring nine points off of the Sky’s five turnovers.

The second quarter the Sky shows signs of life on both ends of the floor. Behind the efforts of forward Angel Reese (5) and guard Dana Evans (11), the Sky were left with not only a better shooting half, but an improved defensive presence. The efforts, however, were not enough to cut into their deficit. The Dream finished the first half with a 50 percent shooting percentage and 44 percent from the 3-point line, taking a 51-39 score into halftime. 

The Sky flipped the script in the third quarter, putting together a run that cut a 12-point deficit to single digits behind the dynamic rookie duo of Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso (10). The Sky continued to put their foot on the gas in the fourth quarter, making a huge comeback that lowered their deficit to three points, but through various turnovers and defensive lapses, the team struggled to get over the hump. Cardoso, who put up 13 points and five rebounds, had her debut in the starting lineup tonight in place of center Elizabeth Williams (1), who suffered a torn meniscus in their last game vs Mystics. Cardoso has played a few games off the bench as she comes back from a shoulder injury. 

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) has words with Atlanta Dream's Naz Hillmon (00). Photo by Brandon Collier/ON AIR Daily News

Even with her being on a minutes restriction, she was happy to start. But she understood that she still has a ways to go not only with her conditioning, but her game as a whole.

“I haven’t had the best games but I’m coming back,” Cardoso said. “The game is coming. I’m just trusting the process, letting the game come to me and going with the flow.”

Guard Dana Evans (11) dribbles down the court, fending off defensive moves by Atlanta Dream forward Allisha Gray (15). Photo by Brandon Collier/ON AIR Daily News

Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was upset at the team’s lack of execution and careless play offensively as the team struggled scoring down the stretch and having costly turnovers to seal their fate. With 21 turnovers and the Dream scoring 26 points off of those turnovers, Weatherspoon emphasized the importance of valuing the ball to give yourself a chance to win games.

“We have to be smart,” Weatherspoon said. “We talk about valuing the possessions, valuing the ball and getting as many shots as you possibly can. 21 turnovers and 26 points [off the turnovers], that’s the game.”

Reese had a dominant game, continuing to make history with another 10+ point (13 points), 10+ rebound (13 rebounds) and 5+ steals (5 steals) game. Though she is putting up numbers, the team as a whole is not winning.
Consistently starting games slow and finishing games sloppy is something that frustrates Reese, and she calls for the players to look at themselves for not only causing the issue, but to be part of the solution.

“It’s tough because I hate losing,” Reese said. “I think we’re going to look back and reflect amongst ourselves. It’s not the coaches or the other team, it’s us. We’ve been in games and come back many times. We have to internally look ourselves in the mirror and figure out what we need to change quickly.”

By Joshua M Hicks

Sports Editor

ON AIR Daily News

(@joshmhicksmedia)

The Sky let another game slip through their hands as they suffered another home loss against the Liberty Tuesday June 4, 2024. The loss puts the Sky at 3-5 on the season.The Sky got off to a slow start, being down by as much as 15 points in the first quarter. 

Liberty forward Breanna Stewart sent a strong message with a 15-point opening quarter performance, spearheading the Liberty to shoot 58 percent shooting from the field and 60 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Down 31-15 with a 16-point deficit heading into the second quarter, the chances increased for a potential blowout loss.

But thanks to solid team defense and an energy boost from guard Chennedy Carter, the Sky were not only able to stay afloat, but dominate the duration of the half with a 33 point second quarter to bring the team down by 1 point, 49-48.Carter led the way with a 15-point first half of her own, with guard Marina Mabrey chipping in 10 points. 

The back and forth battle continued in the third quarter, keeping the game within single digits and giving the Sky a 66-65 deficit.The fourth quarter, however, belonged to the Liberty. The Liberty reminded the Sky of why they went to the WNBA Finals last season behind the leadership of Sabrina Ionescu and Stewart. Stewart and Ionescu combined for 57 points in route to handing the Sky an 88-75 loss. 

The Sky collapsed in the fourth quarter. Between Angel Reese’s ejection after fouling out of the game and lack of offensive production, the team showed signs of growing pains as they struggled to complete a full 40 minute game.

“You have to understand who you are playing,” Mabrey said. “At the end of the day we melted down in the fourth quarter and anytime you play a team like [the Liberty] you can’t play like that.” 

Though the game slipped through the team’s hands, Carter was the instrumental piece that  kept them afloat in their first half comeback. She emphasized her defensive abilities that she implemented tonight, highlighting that though she might be small, her quickness, jumping ability and IQ are serious difference makers. 

“I just try to use my quickness,” Carter said. “I know a lot of guards will try to post me up, but they underestimate my hops. I have extremely good hops and a great IQ so I’m just reading the defense and trying to react and make plays so that we can get into transition."

Carter has stepped up on both ends of the floor. Her all around game is worth noting, per head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, comparing her skillset to the likes of Deana Nolan, Michelle Edwards and NBA guard Kyrie Irving.

“She reminds me a lot of Deanna Nolan and Michelle Edwards," Coach Weatherspoon said.  "On the men’s side, take a look at Kyrie Irving. But she’s Chennedy Carter. She’s trying to make her own name. She’s doing a hell of a job of doing what I’m asking her to do with what this team needs of her. She’s making her name known.”

While Spoon continues to give Carter’s name praise, she reassured the potential of what this team can be. Seeing that the team shot 49 shots in the paint, she expressed that even though tonight’s game was lost, they will continue to work and improve moving forward. 

“We are a team that can pound the ball inside,” she said. "We’ll make those shots. When you take a look at that, it says a lot about what we can be and who we can become. All the shots we got were right underneath the basket. We will be better."

The Sky's Chennedy Carter checks into the game accompanied by a roar of applause from the Chicago faithful.  Photo by Andrew Diederich

Chennedy Carter helped spark the Sky's offense off the bench, leading her team with 16 points in 26 minutes of play. Photo by Andrew Diederch

New York's superstar Sabrina Ionescu is met with on-ball defense in the backcourt from Lindsay Allen. Photo by Andrew Diederich. 

By Andrew Diederich

Sports Reporter

ON AIR Daily News

In a stunning move Thursday evening, the Chicago Sky announced they will not be bringing back Teresa Weatherspoon as their head coach. The Sky finished with a 13-27 record under Weatherspoon, missing playoff contention by 2 games. 

The Sky formally announced the move in a press release Friday morning, saying “We are deeply appreciative of Coach TSpoon’s contributions to the Chicago Sky, and the energy and passion she brought to the head coaching role. We thank her for inspiring a competitive, resilient spirit across the team, synonymous with Chicago Sky basketball.”

The firing comes as a complete shock to many. In her exit interview last week, Weatherspoon spoke like someone who was certain to return next season. She touched on the re-signing of Elizabeth Williams, her relationship with GM Jeff Pagliocca, and what she’s looking for when training camp starts. 

Even Pagliocca himself gave positive sentiment on the team’s performance this year.Nevertheless, Weatherspoon is now gone. 

It seems those within the Sky organization were even caught off guard, with the Sky’s social media team posting a video tribute to Weatherspoon just a day before the firing. 

Nobody was more dismayed at the decision than the Sky players themselves. Rookie Angel Reese confided in her coach all season and never hid how appreciative she was of the first-year coach. 

In a lengthy statement she posted to X, Reese says, “I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life. She was the only person that believed in me…All the crazy circumstances that we went through this year & when your back was against the wall, you always believed. I came to Chicago because of YOU. You were an unsung hero in my life. We built a relationship in a short amount of time that will last forever…You didn’t deserve this but I can’t thank you enough. I love you Tspoon.”

As Reese tells it, Weatherspoon inherited a young, raw team trying to find its identity for most of the season. A myriad of offseason roster moves to acquire fresh faces and more draft capital seemed like a sure sign that this front office was laying the foundation for the future. 

Additionally, Marina Mabrey was traded at the deadline for two veteran assets and more draft picks. It appeared even more obvious the Sky were planting the seeds for a rebuild. Weatherspoon was seen as the ideal hire to patch every nook and cranny together and squeeze potential out of the roster. 

And for the most part, with Weatherspoon at the helm, the Sky performed better than expected. A whole host of injuries to Elizabeth Williams, Angel Reese, Diamond DeShields, and many others certainly didn’t help their cause. Despite how battered the Sky were down the stretch, the team was still in playoff contention until the very last day of the season. 

Chicago Sky Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon, seen here at a recent post-game press conference, was fired by Chicago Sky management, it was announced in a press release today, Friday September 27.(Photo by John L. Alexander.)

Regardless, the Sky seemed to finally find their identity. It seemed as though only a few pieces to the puzzle of getting back to contention were missing.

With Weatherspoon gone, if that puzzle is solved in the next few years, it will be someone else assembling the pieces. Sure, one can point to the Sky’s offense stagnating at times or the 3-13 record after the Olympic break for grounds to dismiss Weatherspoon. 

But with the front office transactions signaling a clear rebuild and the injuries the team battled through, it’s head-scratching to see a beloved head coach in her first year get dismissed.  In their statement, Sky ownership said they will embark on a search for their next head coach immediately. This will mark the team’s fourth head coach since their 2021 title run.