Caroline Lau

The Chicago Sky came up short against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, June 17 by a score of 72-79 at Wintrust Arena.

The Sky started the first quarter on a 19-9 run led by their two forwards, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. The Mystics stayed in the game despite the hot start from Chicago and trailed by 12 at the half.

Washington quickly erased the Sky’s double-digit halftime lead as the Mystics took the lead in the third quarter, fueled by defensive pressure and transition points. Washington finished the quarter outscoring Chicago 24-12. The score was tied at 56-56 going into the fourth quarter.

Angel Reese’s 3-point play cut the lead to two with four minutes to play. The momentum continued for the Sky as Ariel Atkins drew a charge on Brittney Sykes.

However, the Sky turned the ball over down the stretch, leading to empty possessions and transition layups for the Mystics. Chicago finished with 22 turnovers, 13 coming in the second half. The Sky ultimately fell to Washington.

Despite the loss, the Sky’s young frontcourt looked impressive. Cardoso led the team in scoring with 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Reese, one game removed from her first career triple-double, recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Ariel Atkins also recorded 10 points and seven rebounds along with a career-high four blocks.

Sykes led Washington’s offense as she navigated pick-and-rolls and scored in a variety of ways. She finished with a season-high 32 points on 13 of 24 shooting from the field. Solid contributions from Citron, Shakira Austin and Iriafen helped round out the scoring for the Mystics.

Hailey Van Lith tied her season high in minutes with 26 as she checked into the game early in both the first and third quarters. She also saw key minutes at the end of the fourth quarter.

The Sky fell to 3-8 overall and 1-4 in the Commissioners Cup. The Sky will face second-seeded Phoenix Mercury (8-4) on Saturday at home.