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The Chicago Sky hosted the Los Angeles Sparks for Pride Night. Ultimately, it was pride that became the home team’s defining characteristic.
After trailing 10-2 in the opening minutes, the Sky found themselves in a jam. They struggled to make shots, even on good looks. They had trouble containing the perimeter as former Sky player Azurá Stevens was lights out from 3. Additionally, they had to contend with the formidable play of Kelsey Plum and Rickea Jackson, who led the Sparks to a 29-17 lead after one.
At one point, the Sky trailed by 14 points, and it seemed as if they were destined to notch their fourth-consecutive loss. But they did show flashes of excellence in the second quarter, proving they weren’t going down without a fight.
The Sky went on a 10-2 run from 9:16 to 7:58 in the second quarter and then went on another 10-2 run from 2:25 to 0:47 to pull within six at the half, 48-42. However, the tide really started to turn in the second half. In the third quarter, Sky won the battle 25-21, a far cry from some recent games in which they let the third quarter slip by.
As a result, they trailed just 69-67 entering the fourth. From there, they controlled the perimeter, made open looks and were careful with the ball. In the end, Chicago outscored Los Angeles 30-17 in the fourth quarter and ended their three-game skid on their home floor, winning 97-86.
The victory came down to a few notable performances:
A career night for Kamilla Cardoso
There was no stopping Cardoso as she finished with a game-high and career-high 27 points, along with seven rebounds and three assists. She shot 66.7 percent from the field, even making her first-career 3-pointer in the third quarter.
This was also her final game before leaving to play for the Brazilian National Team at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup Tournament, which begins this Saturday.
Angel Reese with another double-double
Reese was all over the floor as she finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds, as well as dishing out six assists. She notched her eighth double-double of the season, the most in the league.
Reese achieved it before the presence of WNBA legend Lisa Leslie. Leslie and Reese have cultivated a bond since Reese came into the league in 2024, with Leslie giving Reese guidance and appearing on her podcast, Unapologetically Angel.
Afterward Reese credited Leslie for her sustained support, saying:
I got to talk to her a little bit after, she just told me to continue to work. She was like, you’re a beast on the boards, obviously. But she’s amazing, an amazing woman. And obviously you don’t see a lot of players that have played in this league come back and support how she does. That’s a great big sister, mom, aunt, whatever you want to call it. She’s been great, and obviously she doesn’t have to do it. She doesn’t have to do it. And that’s why, this past year, I put her in my McDonald’s commercial because of what she’s done for the game, on and off the court.
She’s a baddie. You see when she walks in, her aura. You feel her energy. So I just love being able to have somebody in our corner that really supports the game and supports us, not just because of we’re popular or anything…she deep down supports. She sends me Bible verses in the morning. Sometimes, she tells me she’s praying for me. She sends me little clips of what I can do better. So just being able to have her in my corner has really been the best thing for me.
Ariel Atkins’ ubiquitousness
The veteran played point guard with poise, control and a willingness to carry the team on her back. She made tough shots, played tough defense and was all over the floor. Even though she fouled out, Atkins came away with 17 points and five assists.
Head coach Tyler Marsh appreciates Atkins’ combination of playmaking and scoring, emphasizing after the game:
I think that what we’ve seen the last two games really is, it’s her willingness to be more aggressive, and she’s thinking less, I think, when she was on the ball as our kind of our primary ball handler, she was thinking just a little bit too much of how to get others involved, and I think some of that was probably on me. And so it’s just about simplifying things for her, so that she can be in the best position to be the best version of herself, which is scoring the basketball. And so some of that was being able to put Rachel (Banham) on the ball more, and allowing Ariel to navigate off the ball a little bit more, and put her in more positions to score and to get downhill. That’s kind of been what it is.
Good energy from the bench
Chicago had considerable performances from various bench players. Elizabeth Williams came in and added six points and three rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. Hailey Van Lith scored six points and had two assists. She also played with a patience and poise, in addition to playing solid defense. Michaela Onyenwere scored four points and had two assists while showcasing a vibrant energy at both ends of the floor.
