Chicago — Another matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, another dramatic finish. This time, it was the Sky that prevailed as they came back with a 15-point second half to win 88-87.
In the process, Sky snapped the Fever’s four-game winning streak and moved ahead of them in the standings for the eighth and final playoff spot. After a very close first half, the Fever broke the game open in the third quarter behind Katelyn Clark. They held a 15-point lead midway through the frame and appeared to be cruising toward another win.
Sky had other ideas, however, closing the frame on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit into the fourth. From there, it was all downhill as they held the Fever to 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Angel Reese, who scored the go-ahead bucket in the final minute, finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds and became the first freshman since Ajah Wilson to have 25 points and 15 rebounds in a game. In 2018. Camila Cardoso added a career-high 16 points and 10 reboundsChennady Carter went for 23 points.
Clark led the Fever with 17 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and four steals. He not only set a new career high for assists, but also a franchise record. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 24 points, and Aliyah Baston had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Reese leads the comeback and makes history in the process
Late in the third quarter on Sunday, it looked like a memorable afternoon for Angel Reese and Sky. She stayed calm and the team was down to 15. Then, she suddenly flipped a switch and set the Wintrust Arena on fire. First, an incredible catch and finish in conversion for an and-one, then a pair of free throws in the final minute of the third cut the deficit to single digits at 7-0.
She carried that energy into the fourth quarter and was unstoppable in the paint. There was no answer to the energy and physicality of Nalisa Smith and Fever Reese, and she scored repeatedly on drop-offs and rebounds. With less than a minute to play, she posted Smith and maneuvered her way around for a bucket.
“I’m a dog, and you can’t teach that,” Reese said during his walk-on interview.
When all was said and done, Reese had 25 points and 16 rebounds on 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line. He set a new career high for scoring and became the first rookie since Aja Wilson in 2018 to post a 25-point, 15-rebound performance.
After the win, Reese shared a moment with Hall of Famer Sherrill Swoopes, who gave her a long standing ovation during the game.
“I don’t want to share [what Swoopes told me], but she said she was proud of me,” Reese said. “I was already coached by a legend, but Sheryl Swoopes was able to be in your corner, and she talked to me before I even entered my name in the draft. She told me she believed in me… having that person in my corner was something I always needed. She understands me, she knows what I’ve been through and what I’m going through, and that’s very encouraging to me to have. He was a great mentor.”
Clark puts on a passing clinic
Less than two minutes into the game, Caitlin Clark grabbed a rebound, looked up and threw an outlet pass to a streaking Kelsey Mitchell. The ball was sold into Mitchell’s hands, making for an inauspicious start to the match.
Clark continued to pass, and eventually he syncopated with his teammates. Fittingly, Mitchell knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner in the third quarter to give Clark his 10th assist of the day and his first double-digit assist game. Clark finished with 13 dimes and was especially smart in the third quarter, when he assisted on six of the Fever’s nine shots.
“I believe in my teammates,” Clark said. “Obviously 13 assists, I mean my teammates scored on 13 of my passes. That’s a really good number. Every time I give them the ball to give them a chance to score. I trust them.”
Clark’s 13 assists were not only a career high, but also a new Fever franchise record. He barely played in this one, as he recorded 17 points, six rebounds and four steals. In doing so, he became the first rookie since Odyssey Sims in 2014 with a 15-point, 10-assist performance, as well as the first rookie to hit 15 points, 10 assists and five 3s in a game.
Cardoso shines with an even better performance
No. 3 seed Camila Cardoso’s career got off to a frustrating start when she suffered a shoulder injury in her first season game. Fortunately, she was able to avoid surgery, but she missed the first two weeks of the season.
Since debuting on June 1, he has struggled at times to adjust to the pace of the professional game and has often been in foul trouble. There were some bright moments, however, where her talent and potential were evident.
He finally put it all together Sunday in his best performance of his young career: 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. His size and athleticism often outweighed the Fever’s small forward, and Cardoso made the most of his advantages throughout the night.
