Chicago’s Skylar Diggins rallied her team to victory over Connecticut with a game-high 24 points. Photo by Jacob Nunez/Sportspage Magazine
You have to believe that when or if the Chicago Sky ever get fully healthy, they’ll be a team in contention. Until then they’ll have to scrape and claw their way through.
That’s just what they were able to do on Friday in an 85-80 Commissioners Cup game victory over last-place Connecticut (2-10) at Wintrust Arena. It was the first win at home this season for the Sky, who improved to 4-6 (1-4 at home). It also ended a five-game losing streak and evened the Sky at 1-1 in Commissioners Cup games.
Skylar Diggins led five Sky players in double figures with 24 points and sparked a second-quarter uprising that erased an early 13-point deficit while turning the game around.
“There were contributions from everywhere and I think that’s something that can carry over for us,” Diggins said.
Connecticut center Brittney Griner fights for a rebound against Chicago’s Azura Stevens (No. 30) and Kamilla Cardoso. Photo by Jacob Nunez/Sportspage Magazine
It’s been a struggle as of late and Diggins said her game plan was simply to play better.
“We’ve been trying to figure it out,” she said of her, and the team’s scuffle. “I was just trying to be aggressive and impose my will. I thought after we got popped in the first quarter, we settled in.”
Last in the league in scoring at just 75.5 points per game, a desperate Connecticut team started the game looking nothing like a cellar-dweller.
The Sun opened the contest on fire and Diamond Miller led the way. Connecticut’s 6-3 forward scored 14 first-quarter points, on 6 of 9 shooting, to lead the Sun to a 25-11 lead after the first 10 minutes of play. As a team, Connecticut shot 52.4% and appeared to be headed for a rout.
Connecticut’s Diamond Miller goes up for a shot with Chicago’s Sydney Taylor defending. Photo by Jacob Nunez/Sportspage Magazine
But things changed in a hurry. The shots stopped falling, and Chicago picked up the pace in the second quarter, turning long rebounds on missed outside shots into fast break points. Connecticut lost its keen eye from the floor, hitting just 36.8 percent in the second quarter and the Sky took full advantage, pouring in 32 points.
In particular, it was Diggins who surpassed Miller’s first quarter output. Diggins made good on 4 of 6 shots, including 2 for 2 from 3-point range, and added 6 for 6 from the free-throw line for a total of 16 points in the frame. Turning the momentum around, the Sky scored on seven layups and shot 61 percent for the quarter to pull to within 45-43 by halftime.
Spurred on by the late first-half surge, the Sky took the lead, 50-49 with 6:50 to go in the third quarter on a 3 from Azura Stevens and Chicago never trailed after that. Stevens (team-high 10 rebounds) and Natasha Cloud were key contributors, finishing with 13 points each while Kamilla Cardoso (eight rebounds) and Elizabeth Williams chipped in 10 points apiece.
The Sky certainly had their fill of losing, especially at home and were determined to put together a positive finish.
“I think we just couldn’t take it anymore to be honest,” Williams said. “You lose that many games in a row, something has to flip. (Head Coach Tyler Marsh) challenged us, we challenged each other in the locker room to be tougher in these moments, and we responded.”
Skylar Diggins scores two more for Chicago in its victory over the Sun. Photo by Jacob Nunez/Sportspage Magazine
Things could get a little easier for Chicago later on in the season if it can get a few more players back from the injury list. Though Rickea Jackson is lost for the season with a knee injury, Gabriela Jaquez is likely to return sooner rather than later. The same may or may not be the case for both Courtney Vandersloot (knee) and DiJonai Carrington (foot).
They only recently got Stevens back (May 23) from an injury, and Cloud was playing in just her third game back from injury.
“The best ability is availability,” Diggins said. “So we continue to try to get healthier.”
Connecticut had its share of standouts as well. Aneesah Morrow, who came into the game leading the league with 11 double-double games, was held to eight points but the second-year player hauled in a career-high 17 rebounds.
The Sun was led in the scoring column by both Miller and Brittney Griner (6 for 8 shooting, eight rebounds, five assists) with 16 points each. Saniya Rivers added 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting.