Two Takeaways From Sky's Season Finale vs. Liberty
The Chicago Sky officially fell to 10-34 following a 91-86 loss to the New York Liberty.
The Sky stuck to a seven-player rotation in what would be their final bout of the season, with center Kamilla Cardoso and guard Rachel Banham logging the most minutes on the night. Banham broke the double-digit assist mark for the first time this season as she finally seemed to hit the mark on more routine passes, including a literal last-minute assist that pushed her over the top.
Former MVP forward Breanna Stewart led the Libs with 24 points as the Sky couldn't seem to find an answer for slowing her down inside the arc.
Maddy Westbeld Takes Point
A newer part of the youth movement was a pleasant surprise in Game 44 as she took the spotlight in her last possible chance this season.
Forward Maddy Westbeld finished the night with a game-leading 25 points, or her season scoring high by a country mile. The former Notre Dame forward was lights out from the 3-point line as she hit all but one of her six tries. She showed some creativity on offense as she started to stray away from spot-up shots, which led to a few extra makes on even the smallest of defensive gaps.
The second-round rookie finished the season at just under 40% from beyond the arc on just under two attempts per game this season, proving she can be a valuable part of the Sky's future after proving to be a decent shooter for the Fighting Irish. It'll be up to her and Chicago's other 2025 draft selections to light a spark for the Sky's future, especially if they don't land a higher spot in this year's draft lottery.
Not Going Out Without a (Last Minute) Fight
The Sky really took "all's well that ends well" to heart on Thursday.
They seemed to wait until the very last minute to fight their way back into contention with the belief that a healthy final box score and a solid end would smooth over the first and third quarters. Chicago fought back from a 23-point deficit with a 28-13 fourth quarter, which included 13 points from Westbeld. The 23-year-old scored the Sky's final eight points of the year as she sank two 3-point jumpers and two free throws. Former Sky guard Rebekah Gardner led New York with eight points in the fourth as New York was able to keep the lead and secure its 27th win of the season.
The game may not have been as close as the final score indicated, but the Sky still showed some bright spots in their last game of the year. They'll need all the hope they can get going into a crucial offseason, one that could define their direction as a franchise for at least the near future.
Alex Sabri began contributing to the BIGPLAY Network in September 2025. He also contributes to Chicago Sky on SI and FanSided's High Post Hoops. The Purdue and Cleveland State graduate has over two years of journalism experience in collegiate and professional sports, as well as local journalism, and a few more years of sports blogging experience. Though he specializes in covering Ohio sports for BIGPLAY, his interests include the NBA, WNBA, NFL, Cleveland Guardians and college football and basketball.