Sky Clip Wings In Elimination Game

By J. Coyden Palmer

In a single elimination playoff game at the Wintrust Arena on Thursday night, the sixth-seeded Chicago Sky defeated the Dallas Wings (7th seed) 81-64 in the WNBA playoffs. The Sky will play again on Sunday against the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis at 4 p.m. Chicago time. Kahleah Copper led the Sky with 23 points. Courtney Vandersloot added 17 as the Sky controlled the game from the opening tip then managed to weather a third quarter they would love to forget when a once 21-point lead got cut to three.

“I think they have some explosive scorers,” said Sky Coach James Wade about the third quarter. “They got some rebounds and we made a few turnovers. We had to get refocused. They got some shots to go down and another thing is we stopped attacking. Even though we got in the bonus early, we were unable to get to the line because we quit attacking,” Wade said.

The Sky, led by Copper’s aggressive, attacking of the basket, kept the Wings playing on their heels throughout the first half. It propelled Chicago to a 44-29 halftime lead. Candace Parker, who finished the game with 15 rebounds and 11 points, said Copper’s energy was something she has seen all year.

“She’s been mostly doing what she did tonight for the entire season. I’m not even sure why you are interviewing me right now. You should be interviewing her,” Parker said.

Wade said his team has to do a better job of boxing out and defending off the ball if they plan to keep advancing in the playoffs. But his big free agent signing in the off-season paid off dividends Thursday night.

“Candace was great. I thought she was big defensively. Playoff time is Candace Parker time. We’re going to lean on her a lot,” Wade said.

The Dallas Wings were led by Arike Ogunbowale’s 22 points. She and her teammates were proud of the season they had. Few predicted the Wings would make the playoffs this year.

“Chicago has that experience, but I thought that third quarter we played was really us,” said the Wings Isabelle Harrison, who finished with nine points off the bench for Dallas. “You could’ve said ‘we should have done this or that.’ But I think the best thing is that feeling after a loss and how you don’t want to feel like that again.”

The Sky’s earned a date against Minnesota after the Phoenix Mercury defeated the New York Liberty 83-82.