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Angel Reese had her best game of the season on Tuesday night, but despite her 17-point, 11-rebound double-double, the Chicago Sky were blown out by the New York Liberty, 85–66. Reese’s frustration boiled over following a sloppy sequence between both teams during the third quarter.
The Sky failed to get a good shot off after Reese made a steal at midcourt and as both teams ran back up the court, she stopped and hit New York’s Leonie Fiebich with a hard screen. Officials reviewed the play and upgraded the foul to a flagrant foul one. ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo did not agree with the decision.
“Let’s see. I mean, it was an unnecessary foul,” said Ruocco. “Maybe a little bit of a lean, but I … I think that’s a common foul. Yes, agree. There’s no extension there. There’s just a body bump to Fiebich running up the floor.”
“That’s interesting,” Ruocco said in response to the flagrant announcement. “I guess they felt it was unnecessary contact from Reese that … just a little bit of a lunge. A little bit of a lean of that shoulder into Fiebich.”
Lobo agreed with Ruocco, but suggested that the contact coming on Fiebich’s blindside might have led to the decision.
“Perhaps the blindside part of it playing into the decision making there and potential for injury,” Rucco continued. “I mean, to me that still looks like a common foul.”
Reese and the Sky are now 2–6 on the season. Six of their next eight games will be on either CBS, Ion, ESPN or ABC.
