Sky Notch Rare Win Off Stars' Double-Doubles
During the 2023 regular season, one of the biggest problems for the Chicago Sky was rebounding. They addressed that issue straight on in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese joined the 2021 WNBA champions.
Though it has been a turbulent journey since, Thursday night was a much needed win for the twin-towers and their rest of their team. The Sky were in the midst of losing streak and had dropped 13 of their last 14 games.
Chicago responded to the challenge this week at the Barclays Center. The Sky were playing like they did in 2021 when they swept the season series 5-0 against the Liberty.
Cardoso and Reese got the job done
When two players score 20 points or more, each, your team has a solid chance of winning. When they both also combine for 25 rebounds, that's also a plus.
The Sky ended another six-game winning streak by beating the Liberty on Thursday. The two second-year players were also a part of the fourth-quarter attack that saw Chicago outscore New York by nine points.
Cardoso hit a pair of free throws early on in the game's final quarter. Between Reese and her teammate, Ariel Atkins, the two combined for nine more makes off of 12 free throw attempts.
Cardoso and Reese ended the game with plus/minuses of +7. That was tied for second on the team with each other and Rebecca Allen. Atkins had the team high of +14 on Thursday.
In just her second game back, Reese add three assists while only coughing up the ball three times. She is averaging 4.0 turnovers a game this season.
Reese has played in 25 games this year for the Sky. She has recorded less than three turnovers in just five of those games. Ball control has to improve as it seemed like it could be in her latest game.
With some of the other players for Chicago struggling, big outings from the Sky's 2024 WNBA Draft selections filled the stat sheet. Reese, Cardoso, and Company hope to add more wins before 2025 regular season is over.
Next up for Chicago is their third meeting of the year with the Connecticut Sun. It also marks the first game this season for former Sky guard and current Sun player, Marina Mabrey, to return to the Windy City.
After the first two meetings being at the Mohegan Sun Arena, the Sky will benefit from two more games against another Eastern Conference rival at Wintrust Arena.
My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.