On the Beat With the Chicago Sky 7/30/17

Sunday, I was back “On the Beat” with the WNBA Chicago Sky, as they hosted the New York Liberty. The Sky started and finished strong, but the middle of the game cost them as they lost 86-82.

The loss put the Sky in a 10th place tie with the Indiana Fever at 8-16. The Liberty now stand at 12-10 in 6th place. The top 89 teams make the playoffs. With only 10 games left and several teams to jump, I don’t see the Sky reaching the playoffs, but it’s not out of the question.

The Sky actually held a 24-20 lead at the end of the 1st quarter, but were outscored 26-15 in the 2nd. The Sky outscored the Liberty 26-24 in the 3rd and 16-14 in the 4th, but it wasn’t enough.

The Sky had several excellent individual performances. Allie Quigley had 22 points to lead the Sky. She has scored 20 or more in 5 of the last eight games, averaging 19 points per game in that stretch. She also added 5 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 3-pointers (out of 7 attempts).

Jessica Breland had her 15th double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She now trails Elena Delle Donne by one for 3rd place in team history in double-doubles.

Cappie Pondexter had 9 points, which was her best since returning from her injury. She also hit her first 3 pointer since returning.

Courtney Vandersloot had 10 assists, leaving her 2 assists short of 20th place all time in the WNBA. She also pitched in 12 points.

The Sky battled until the final buzzer. Obviously, a game is a full 40 minutes, but the Sky “won” 3 quarters. It’s not a big leap to see them winning this game outright. The Sky actually had a chance to tie the game with about 3 seconds left, but the shot missed. They fouled the Liberty and watched as 2 free throws sealed the win.

Coach Stocks started the press session with this great quote, "What a nice game. As a participant of the game, it's a little different, but I'm sure watching the game, it was nice quality basketball by both teams.” That sums up the experience. The large crowd wanted to see a win, but we saw a great game.

My friend Gabe brought his young daughter Amelie for their first Sky game and they loved it. Gabe said it was a blast and the staff and crowd were great. It’s these kind of experiences I love seeing and I see them often at Sky games.

I really wanted the Sky to win this game for obvious reasons, but also because of who was coaching the Liberty. It would have been sweet to beat old Chicago Bulls nemesis Bill Laimbeer. At least the Sky made him and the team work until the very end.

There are still a handful of Sky home games and I encourage everyone to check out a game. I did not expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I have and I am always looking forward to the next game (whether it is on television or in person).