CHICAGO — The Chicago Sky faced off against the New York Liberty in a heated rematch two days after their July 11 match. The Sky came out on the offensive in the first quarter, but Sabrina Ionescu and New York stormed back to win, 81-67. Angel Reese had another strong performance, but New York’s incredible defense in the final minutes of the game ended her historic double-double record.
Reese was one point away from tying the WNBA record for most consecutive double-doubles in league history, but the Liberty made sure the rookie didn’t have an easy time with triple-teams.
New York’s effort was successful, bringing Reese’s historic winning streak to an end at 15 games. She finished with eight points and 16 rebounds on Saturday.
Angel Reese has had a great month and a half with the Sky. First, she was named WNBA Rookie of the Month for June. Less than 12 hours later, the league notified her of her first All-Star appearance. Then, Reese was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for her performances from June 30 to July 7. Her double-double record is only a small part of what she’s got going for her. But Chicago knows they have some work to do after another tough loss to New York.
Saturday’s Sky-Liberty game had a different kind of tension than the one two days earlier. Marina Mabry received a technical foul in the second quarter after talking back to one of the officials. Then the officials called a technical foul on Angel Reese after consecutive fouls in the fourth quarter. Finally, Teresa Weatherspoon expressed dissatisfaction with Angel Reese not being called for a foul late in the game and received a technical herself. New York continued to ride the momentum and put pressure on Chicago.
The Liberty was without All-WNBA forward Breanna Stewart, but had enough offensive firepower to trouble the Sky. Sabrina Ionescu had a game-high 28 points and six assists in the afternoon. Ionescu outscored Chicago in the fourth quarter to help the Liberty secure the win.
Sky sees silver lining in Liberty’s tough loss
Kevin Jairaj – USA TODAY Sports
Michaela Onyenwere was a big energy for the Sky off the bench. She had eight points and one rebound and nearly helped Chicago secure a crucial possession in the second quarter. The fourth-year forward finished with 14 points and shot an impressive 85 percent from the field.
Onyenwere revealed a key mindset following his breakout performance on Saturday.
“I’m always ready. You know, every player wants to play, that’s why we’re here. You want to get minutes and contribute to the team, but that’s not always the reality. So when I wasn’t playing a lot, I just focused on being the best person I can be. I was also prepared. I was always in the gym early. I kept the same routine no matter what happened. That’s my mindset always,” Onyenwere said in his post-match press conference. “Whether it’s two minutes or 30 minutes, I’m always ready.”
Chicago will need more from Michaela Onyenwere heading into the second half of the 2024 season. The Sky fell to 9-14 after the loss to the Liberty and are now in eighth place in the WNBA standings, one spot below the Indiana Fever. Chicago will face the Las Vegas Aces on July 16 before the All-Star break.
