Swish Appeal: All Posts by Greta MeyleBasketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2016-12-09T00:00:01-05:00https://www.swishappeal.com/authors/greta-meyle/rss2016-12-09T00:00:01-05:002016-12-09T00:00:01-05:00Iowa is a “Hawkeye state”
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Womens Basketball: Iowa at Minnesota" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0kxYZmeqwK0eZd3xx_Q2AObpP7s=/0x0:1657x1105/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52210571/usa_today_9120583.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Iowa hosted their rivals Iowa State with the winner gaining bragging rights over the state. Thanks to career-nights from Tania Davis and Kathleen Doyle the Hawkeyes would be crowned winners of the rivalry. </p> <p id="QYLMAi"><strong>Iowa City, IA —</strong> In a deep seeded rivalry, opponents don’t often topple without a vicious fight to the death, and in the case of the war over the title of basketball queens of the state of Iowa, the Hawkeyes lead a barbaric storm to swallow the Iowa State Cyclones whole. </p>
<p id="DGTRjJ">With the enigmatic forces of double-double extraordinaire Megan Gustafson and backboard angel Ally Disterhoft, the Hawkeyes hauled home a victory of 88-76 holding off their cardinal and gold opponents for the majority of the game. </p>
<p id="qBXDVi">However, three Iowa players shell-shocked fans and Cyclones alike with transcendent performances: Tania Davis, Kathleen Doyle, and Christina Buttenham. </p>
<p id="mo7Lr7">“I’m just so proud of our team, so many people stepped up [tonight],” Disterhoft lauded. “Tania made them pay, Kathleen made them pay, Christina made them pay, just to name a few so it was a huge team win and I think team basketball is the best basketball and that’s what we saw tonight.”</p>
<p id="LyjppK">Walking onto the court, the Cyclones set their defensive sense on high alert for power plays from Disterhoft and Gustafson. But the real gusto came from stealthy point guard Tania Davis. The sophomore set career highs in points (23), field goals made (7), and 3-pointers made (5).</p>
<p id="SogH5E">Paired up with a fierce defensive opponent, the face of the Iowa State Women’s Basketball team: Jadda Buckley, the player with a 48% shooting average, Davis and Buckley went head to head to walk off court in a battle for the number ‘11’, which each player, coincidentally sported on their jerseys. </p>
<p id="sHNqA7">Davis took the cake, though, as Buckley cashed in at 21 team points -- two behind Davis. </p>
<p id="9ct0BW">Buckley applauded Davis’ efforts for the Hawkeyes.</p>
<p id="ASWlJ7">“She’s a great player, she has a lot of speed, she can dish it out to her teammates pretty well, but she can also take it to the hoop as you guys can see and knock down the three as well,” she said. “So she’s just very versatile and defending that you gotta be on your toes, hands up, but you also gotta stay back to protect the drive, so you have to play good defense all around.”</p>
<p id="6suOaK">Whether it was rushing it to the hoop or swooshing from the three point line, Miss Davis slew on the floor tonight. She credited her performance to motivating words she received from Disterhoft.</p>
<p id="9MAZ41">“It felt great, you know, during shoot around today Ally told me, ‘if they’re not gonna play make ‘em pay, go off at thirty’ and I literally took that to heart, so I brought my best game today, and I just didn’t want to lose because I didn’t want to see what Coach Bluder would be like tomorrow,” the guard laughed.</p>
<p id="RP9VNo">Another surprise came from freshman Kathleen Doyle. Doyle swiped three steals, the most of any player in the game, letting the Cyclones eat her dust as she took easy layups on an open court. The firecracker set career highs in points (17), field goals made (6), and 3-pointers made (2) just like her teammate Davis.</p>
<p id="sV6GKR">“In games, I just try to bring my energy on the defensive end because that usually leads to great offense for our team so I just try to provide whatever spark I can,” Doyle said. “There was a lot of energy going into this game, and I knew how big it was so I just tried to do whatever I could to help my team win.”</p>
<p id="KdCK6M">Buttenham, another budding freshman threat, played a fierce game, scoring 10 of the Hawkeyes points.</p>
<p id="qmcHdw">Iowa State played “catch-up” for a majority of the game. While the first quarter was mostly neck-and-neck, from quarter two onward the Hawkeyes held as high as a 20-point lead. </p>
<p id="ex5gak">Cyclone Head Coach Bill Fennelly said he felt Iowa ultimately played a better game.</p>
<p id="tk4qHU">“I thought we competed, but we didn’t guard them enough, and we certainly couldn’t make anywhere near enough shots to have a chance to win,” Fennelly said. “There were a couple of times where there wasn’t anyone near them, and we missed [shots] but that’s the game, that’s the beauty of the game and the frustration of the game.” </p>
<p id="a3wK2U">While Hawkeye Head Coach Lisa Bluder feared State’s shooting capabilities from behind the arc, a team who averages 43%, the Hawkeyes conquered the apparent three-point machines, shooting at 61.9% from 3-point range.</p>
<p id="KfmTqe">“They're a great three-point shooting team, and we talked. One of our keys to the game was no uncontested threes. Every three had to be contested, and our three-point field goal percentage defense has been very good this year, and we're proud of that and want to continue to do that,” Bluder said. </p>
<p id="wWUGnN">For seniors like Disterhoft, walking out of the Carver Hawkeye Area feels beyond legendary.</p>
<p id="eQRuur"> “I mean it’s just awesome as a senior to go out with a ‘W’ against the biggest in-state rival that there is,” Disterhoft said. “I mean everyone wants to say it’s a Cyclone state, it’s a Hawkeye state, but to be able to say it’s a Hawkeye state after we beat them on our home court definitively is awesome.”</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/12/9/13880754/motivational-speech-ignites-iowa-davisGreta Meyle2016-12-01T02:07:26-05:002016-12-01T02:07:26-05:00Luck of the Irish?
<figure>
<img alt="South Carolina v Notre Dame" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NOc2UnDOlPENtXgQLwj05XWG7ng=/0x0:2736x1824/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52082373/468689124.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>No. 1 Notre Dame may still be undefeated following tonight’s (Nov. 30) win over Iowa, but it did not come easy for the Fighting Irish. Turnovers and missed free throws for the Hawkeyes played into Notre Dame’s favor as Muffet McGraw’s team moves to 7-0.</p> <p id="Z0mc6x"><strong>Iowa City, IA</strong> — Carver Hawkeye Arena rattled with ruthless basketball on Wednesday (Nov. 30) as No. 1 ranked Notre Dame took on the Iowa Hawkeyes in a nail biter that closely resembled a “brawl.” While the Fighting Irish still took home the win by a final score of 73-58, thanks to the hustle of Notre Dame’s Lindsay Allen, Arike Ogunbowale and Brianna Turner, the Hawks scathed the Irish in a way head coach Muffet McGraw won’t forget.</p>
<p id="kXGV45">McGraw commented on her team’s third quarter scare when the Hawkeyes nearly captured the lead twice, trailing by as few as two points behind Notre Dame.</p>
<p id="BjdWvX">“I don’t think we were doing anything well,” McGraw said. “We weren’t taking the ball, our guards weren’t boxing out, we weren’t making layups, we weren’t making good decisions, I mean we just couldn’t wait for the buzzer to go off, we just wanted the game to be over.”</p>
<p id="sXM0OM">Megan Gustafson led the surge of Hawkeye power, putting up six points alone in the third quarter alongside Chase Coley who wailed in four points. Gustafson achieved her fourth double-double of the season, proving to be an astronomical threat who aided Iowa on the glass with 11 rebounds and chipped in 16 points. The ladies of black and gold are the first team this season to out-rebound Notre Dame (40-34).</p>
<p id="55zCze">Hawkeye Head Coach Lisa Bluder lauded her team’s efforts in the first and second half.</p>
<p id="RHd4We">“Well, I wish I could take back the first five minutes and the last five minutes, because I thought the middle was pretty good,” Bluder said. “I thought we fought hard. We fought back from a deficit to make it a good game.”</p>
<p id="KTvjCS">Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, the first and fourth quarters did matter, and Notre Dame unleashed their true fire within those critical minutes. Allen led the Fighting Irish once again with high assists - eight on the night - to add to her 600 career dimes achieved last week. Notre Dame certainly won the turnover battle, forcing a total of 23 while only committing 15 themselves.</p>
<p id="bCvq0o">Despite the storm sparked by steals, Notre Dame fell underneath Iowa in shooting percentage at times, a problem that could haunt the No. 1 ranked team later in the season. Both teams finished the night with a 45 percent clip from the field.</p>
<p id="fXwQVH">Bluder credits the Hawkeyes’ poor free throw performance for the loss. </p>
<p id="wGxMup">“We've got to hit free throws,” Bluder commented. “Shooting 40 percent from the free throw line, you think what a difference mentally that would have made had we had six, seven, eight more free throws; that makes it a totally different game at the end. But too many turnovers resulted in too many easy points for Notre Dame. We've got to value the ball more.” </p>
<p id="r2KZlf">Disterhoft also stretched out an extra mile for the Hawkeyes, pouring in 18 of the team’s 58 total points. After tonight, Disterhoft has now notched double-figure points in 86 of her 92 career starts. </p>
<p id="PJPb2v">Although Iowa fell short, the Hawkeyes still walked off the floor with pride, leaving McGraw and her ladies in blue to focus on strategy in order to stay undefeated.</p>
<p id="Hg6cZ3">“We got turnovers right off the bat, I mean I think we got three straight turnovers on the first few possessions, [but this game], I think it’s a learning experience and a teaching moment,” McGraw said. “I was disappointed in the upperclassmen.”</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/12/1/13803822/notre-dame-wakeup-call-iowa-big-10-accGreta Meyle2016-11-20T20:23:16-05:002016-11-20T20:23:16-05:00Buzzer-beater stuns Iowa
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament-First Round-Oregon State vs South Dakota State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1AUqh4URjSM_qjSSk6GqsM42w-0=/529x123:1855x1007/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51927785/usa_today_8464321.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Susan Ragan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>South Dakota State started to pull away from Iowa early in the game. From the opening tip, Macy Miller enforced her will and it was only fitting she would hit the last bucket to lift the Jackrabbits to victory.</p> <p id="8x0usC"><strong>Iowa City, IA —</strong> The South Dakota State Jackrabbits ensured that the Hawkeyes had their work cut out for them in the final game of the Hawkeye Challenge on Sunday afternoon. But SDSU’s feared “Miss Basketball,” Macy Miller, redeemed her crown on the court by leading her team to a buzzer beater victory of 64-62. </p>
<p id="QrY6Lv">With a stellar 27-win season and the 12th seed in the NCAA tournament last year, the Jackrabbits posed a maniacal threat to the Hawkeyes so far flawless season. Conquering the South Dakota superpower would’ve made Iowa the champions and satisfied their hunger of winning a championship. </p>
<p id="zNVcN3">However, from the start, the Jackrabbits played to the Hawkeyes defensive weaknesses to get an early lead. Miller brought her relentlessness underneath the boards as she pulled down five boards and scored 14 of her team's first-half points. SDSU's Kerri Young also swished in two three-pointers for the team, as Iowa struggled to stay within 10 points of the opponent ending the half 38-25.</p>
<p id="8weXmS">“The first half, […] I don't think we made South Dakota State work on defense,” Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder said. “I thought we were taking shots that we just don't usually take, and that was a little bit of inexperience, kind of getting rattled and thinking, you've got to bring them back in one shot. We know it's a long game you and don't do that.”</p>
<p id="wiPrC6">The third quarter remained an effort to shut down Miller's fire, as the Hawkeyes second unit tried to extinguish her flame with their own counters with points from Kathleen Doyle and Hannah Stewart. </p>
<p id="ZrDhGW">However, it wasn’t just Miller who kept the offense going for South Dakota State. Ellie Thompson and Clarissa Ober were the leading scorers of the quarter, and their offensive prowess could not be contained by the young players of Iowa, leaving the Hawkeyes down by 13 going into the final quarter.</p>
<p id="hOMrXU">“Yeah, and I think you saw an experienced team kind of beat up on an inexperienced team today,” Bluder said. “I thought our freshmen kind of struggled being that situation, and I know that they are better than what they showed today. They will learn from this and be more prepared the next time.”</p>
<p id="7eccz3">Despite SDSU’s continuous lead, the Hawkeyes were out for blood in the fourth quarter. The Ally Disterhoft, Tania Davis, and Megan Gustafson trifecta propelled Iowa to a tie game after a three-pointer by Davis, a layup by Disterhoft and an aggressive inside shot by Gustafson with only five seconds on the clock. Despite the Carver-Hawkeye Arena shaking with anticipation of an overtime showdown, the star Jackrabbit had other plans. </p>
<p id="JRrprU">With only four seconds remaining Miller knocked in a jump shot to leave the Hawkeyes speechless, taking the gold straight from their hands.</p>
<p id="7moiJ1">SDSU Head Coach Aaron Johnston applauded Miller’s performance.</p>
<p id="RJBs3T">“Even the play at the end, there was some contact during the drive—not foul, but contact that could’ve taken someone out of sync or rhythm but she was pretty composed rising up and making that shot,” he said.</p>
<p id="rl6j58">Miller received the award for MVP of the Hawkeye Challenge tournament, and understandably so. The wrecking ball achieved a double-double with 10 rebounds and 22 of her team’s total points. </p>
<p id="kWGE56">If teams nationwide are worried about anything standing in their way of a spot in the NCAA tournament, Miller should be on that list. </p>
<p id="eukNd7"> “She’s got the ability to make threes, she’s got the ability to get to the basket, we just want her to continue to be a force in the game,” Johnston said. “Defensively, rebounding we can work on a little bit more, she sets an offensive threat, but there’s other parts of her game that she can continue to get better on. “</p>
<p id="2aDhy7">Gustafson also achieved her 12<sup>th</sup> double-double.</p>
<p id="XLsCoz">“I think it was really good to go up against someone who was stronger, but I think overall as a team it was a good learning experience just because we’re not used to having the other team go on a run right away,” Gustafson said.</p>
<p id="dA2luA">While the post scored double digits alongside Disterhoft, it wasn’t enough to take the win. Thus, if the Hawkeyes hope to see the light of the NCAA tournament, Bluder says they have work to do against stronger teams.</p>
<p id="1hZ7Xg">“We have some great opponents coming up, and we can't dwell on this one. We have got to move forward. We're playing No. 9 UCLA, No. 1 Notre Dame coming up here,” she said. “So definitely we have a tough schedule, but the problem is, is it's not one thing just to play a tough schedule. You do have to win some.”</p>
<p id="aOfHp1">The Hawkeyes play UCLA next on Thursday, Nov. 24 in the 2016 Cancun Challenge in Riviera Maya, Mexico.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/11/20/13694128/opponents-beware-macy-miller-sdsu-dangerGreta Meyle2016-11-14T09:31:49-05:002016-11-14T09:31:49-05:00Hawkeyes quest for 2-0 start — satisfied
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Womens Basketball: Iowa at Minnesota" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/C_LYxL777kF6bTQsOCWOXtGIZ2U=/1334x191:4096x2032/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51822009/usa_today_9118122.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Iowa looked for a 2-0 start to 2016 and got just that against Hampton with a commanding 84-51 win. The Hawkeyes’ depth was on full display yet again with four players notching double-digit points and six others scoring at least a bucket.</p> <p id="7tgC5K"><strong>Iowa City, IA </strong>— Determined for a second win to continue their strong start to the season, the Iowa Hawkeyes stymied the three-point magicians of Hampton and walked off the court victorious. With dominate inside presence by Chase Coley, Tania Davis, and surprises from an already dominating freshmen squad, the young team took the gold with an ending score of 84-51. </p>
<p id="jaaZqT">Early on the Hawkeyes struggled to shut down Hampton’s Monnaz Finney-Smith’s barrage of threes in the first half, but still managed to maintain a slight yet comfortable 12-point lead at the end of the first half. </p>
<p id="6GXDVF"><strong>Depth</strong></p>
<p id="rUvI1S">By implementing a platoon system, Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder has been working to ensure her entire team is fit to play at any time. One key player in that system is Coley, who played an incredible role in carrying the Hawks to their win in the third and fourth quarters, walking away with seven rebounds in the second half. </p>
<p id="rlrlt1">Coley serves as an effective post player for Bluder’s second unit and has become a vital leader on the floor. </p>
<p id="i7ATN9">“I feel like I have a different role this year,” Coley said. “I feel like my job out there is to make sure I keep the energy rolling from the first group into the second group. When one person gets a little energy, it sparks it for the rest of the team, and that's really my goal out on the court right now.”</p>
<p id="fXuU7Y">And that insurmountable energy is essential, as she has to keep going comes from Iowa’s weapon underneath the boards in post player Megan Gustafson. Gustafson chipped in with 11 rebounds and 14 points. </p>
<p id="SDagqZ">While the Pirate post players put up a fight, Gustafson and Coley conquered.</p>
<p id="z4XZrF">“I think today we played against a couple of pretty good post players — a little bit stronger than what we played against on Friday,” Gustafson said. “Coach is working with me and the other post players on our footwork. Just being able to read instead of predetermining post moves, that's been a huge thing for me from freshman year to now.”</p>
<p id="q1lXO4"><strong>Y</strong><strong>outh is served </strong></p>
<p id="NAnYEn">Thanks to the rebounding and points from young players Hannah Stewart and Makenzie Meyer, scoring 10 points and seven points, respectively, the Hawkeyes have positioned themselves in a place of offensive power following this afternoon’s performance against Hampton. </p>
<p id="71cqj4">Bluder is excited to showcase what her young squad is made of. </p>
<p id="de04o6">“Whenever you have eight freshmen and sophomores […] you're relying on them,” Bluder said. “If you want to have any success, they've got to produce for us. We’ve got stuff up our sleeve.” </p>
<p id="Wa36ip"> </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/11/14/13617430/iowa-hawkeyes-win-hampton-piratesGreta Meyle2016-11-06T23:30:03-05:002016-11-06T23:30:03-05:00Iowa soars past Lewis University
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Womens Basketball: Iowa at Minnesota" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/l77_re_Lqa8u3u-goTNicpy828k=/0x0:3219x2146/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51711421/usa_today_9120669.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The University of Iowa women’s basketball team made a statement in its exhibition game versus Lewis University. The Hawks cruised past the Flyers by a final score of 61-35 behind 16 points from Megan Gustafson and 15 points from Ally Disterhoft.</p> <p id="69BLzW"><strong>Iowa City, IA ---</strong> Carver-Hawkeye Arena rattled with more than just the cheers of fans and the squeak of Nikes on the hardwood at the Iowa women’s basketball exhibition game. The arena shook with the sweet sound of a basketball ricocheting off the glass into the net for a Hawkeye victory over Lewis University by a final score of 61-35.</p>
<p id="H2dpT9">With stars like Ally Disterhoft, Tania Davis, and Megan Gustafson striving to prove their team’s worth of a spot in the NCCA tournament, the ladies in black and gold unleashed their fire to defeat the Flyers. Not to mention, the surprising tenacity showcased by Iowa’s newly acquired weapon in freshman Makenzie Meyer. </p>
<p id="DKRvAh">Coach Bluder was proud of her Hawks’ defensive prowess in the exhibition.</p>
<p id="KLHlJj">“I liked our defensive intensity [today],” the 17-year-tenured head coach said. “Last year we weren’t the best defensive team, and I thought we came out and played terrific defense. And we certainly had a height advantage, so we used it.”</p>
<p id="WuDAzg">Despite the lack of height on the floor for the Flyers, the Division II school put up an aggressive defensive fight in the first quarter. They kept a close eye on Disterhoft, who reaped quite the defensive whiplash from Lewis University’s Alyssa Siwek.</p>
<p id="p17Jr3">Offensively, Gustafson and Davis supplied the Hawks with a bombardment of fast breaks, which was clearly a key to Iowa’s success. However, Iowa’s turnovers got the best of them to a certain extent.</p>
<p id="YbVt7D">“We had way too many turnovers in the first half,” Bluder said. “We were trying to play too fast, too excited.”</p>
<p id="oJPOdY">Quarter two brought plenty of retaliation for the Flyers, but the Hawkeyes responded with harsh backlash once Disterhoft found a way to escape the clutches of Siwek. </p>
<p id="JIgapc">Meyer also began proving her worth to the team, sinking back-to-back buckets, positioning herself as a looming threat for the coming season. </p>
<p id="0Hdmio">“It felt good,” Meyer said of her performance. “I’m glad I got experience at both positions [one and two tonight].” </p>
<p id="zj3dwE">Iowa revealed their true colors in the second half after racking up 37 of their points in the final two periods. Disterhoft and Davis emerged in quarters three and four as a lethal weapon when they combined their talents.</p>
<p id="eYixMO">Coach Bluder utilized a platoon system, rotating her starting line-up in with a secondary line-up once every quarter. Davis believes the fresh feet helped out.</p>
<p id="scQxiT">“We came together and settled down a little bit more than in the first half,” Davis said. “With the platoon system, you have five fresh people in every time, so I think that definitely helped us at the end of the third [quarter] and beginning of the fourth [quarter].”</p>
<p id="ciKAA9">Davis has set out to be a vocal leader on the floor this year, and her incredible fourth quarter performance further proved that she has what it takes. Lobbing a pass to Disterhoft all the way across the court for an easy bucket, Davis’s reading of the defense gave the Hawkeyes an edge.</p>
<p id="GTbMu7">With 10 assists and nine points on the night, Davis is building up as no longer just a sidekick, but instead, a second Wonder Woman alongside Disterhoft. </p>
<p id="mM4GOU">“In my opinion, it’s just been fun stepping into that leadership role,” Davis said. “You know last year I was kind of just the person that was always in the background just listening to Ally or the seniors […] but now just stepping up and being more of a vocal leader and taking that into account, I just thank Ally for allowing me to do it.”</p>
<p id="rTcfav">Davis and Disterhoft continued their hot play in the fourth quarter, sinking five and four points, respectively. The magic of the “Double D” will certainly be something to fear for opponents come the regular season.</p>
<p id="is45Vo">Disterhoft looks forward to seeing big plays from the new faces on the squad. She credited the freshmen’s performance on the floor.</p>
<p id="TeSMWe">“I think [the newcomers] did a good job,” Disterhoft said. “I’ve been impressed with them from the get-go. The energy they bring both offensively and defensively, I really think that showed tonight.”</p>
<p id="laKhG3">The Hawkeyes will take on Oral Roberts on Friday, Nov. 11 at 6 P.M. CT for their first official game of the season. </p>
<p id="mTWVDb">“We’re excited to be able to open it up for real on Friday night,” Bluder said.</p>
<p id="r7BIx2"></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/ncaa/2016/11/6/13504156/iowa-lewis-university-exhibition-ncaawGreta Meyle2016-10-13T14:32:14-04:002016-10-13T14:32:14-04:00A “very hungry” Minnesota team blows past Sparks
<figure>
<img alt="WNBA: Los Angeles Sparks at Minnesota Lynx" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sQ7ifQjYbuEG8kadRWbq-bkXEm8=/0x1:3440x2294/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51339233/usa-today-9598230.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Game 2 turned out to be a must win for Minnesota, as they didn’t want to head to Los Angeles, down 0-2 in the series. Thanks to Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, the Lynx have tied the game series up at 1 game apiece. </p> <div id="hTVkXQ"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUV01kxU4jg?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="rR9D0X"><strong>Minneapolis, MN —</strong> Minnesota made some adjustments after Game 1 to make sure that they won Game 2 in the best-of-five Finals series against Los Angeles. Big changes that were evident in Game 2 had to do with the triple threat of Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, and Sylvia Fowles, who silenced the sound of any <em>Spark</em>lers, Los Angeles tried to shoot off. </p>
<p id="3n1e7K">Augustus unleashed her rage in the fourth quarter, doubling her total points and attacking the glass for two and-1s, pushing the limitless Lynx to a victory of 79-60.</p>
<p id="69oBLn"></p>
<p id="yUozFm"></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/10/13/13273632/video-augustus-moore-fowles-lynx-wnba-finalsGreta Meyle2016-10-03T00:00:09-04:002016-10-03T00:00:09-04:00Chicago’s defense does the “unheard of” in the third
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QLoyuDWdki07WB6QmCzsxadjqRI=/4x0:4849x3230/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51161097/GettyImages-612056272.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Randy Belice - Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chicago has been playing without Elena Delle Donne since Sept. 7 and the team chemistry still remains in tact. A big key to their success in game 3 was the team never let up, especially Courtney Vandersloot’s leadership and Imani Boyette’s answer to her teammates encouragement.</p> <div id="vFMqBm">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div>
</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLE5NY6hbXW/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Sky vs. Sparks Game 3 POSTGAME UPDATE #WNBA #summer #swag #basketball #swishappeal #playoffs #watchmework</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A video posted by Swish Appeal (@swishappeal) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-02T21:58:27+00:00">Oct 2, 2016 at 2:58pm PDT</time></p>
</div></blockquote>
<script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
</div>
<p id="WfGWNx"><strong>Rosemont, IL — </strong>After losing to the Los Angeles Sparks in the first two semifinal games, the Chicago Sky powered up in a stellar second half performance, sending the Los Angeles defense into a frenzy, and taking the victory. These ladies seem to have a habit of surprising home court performances, as they shell-shocked the Sparks in a transcendent fourth quarter performance, winning 70 to 66. </p>
<p id="K1TbKu">Tackling the game once again with their leading player, Elena Delle Donne who’s still out with a thumb injury, they faced off against LA in a game that could’ve meant the end of the Sky season with a loss. After the Sparks crushed Chicago at the Staples Center in Game 1 and 2 of the semifinals, most Sky fans could see the end of the road approaching if the blue and yellow ladies didn’t step up. </p>
<p id="xLEL6K">Defying all odds, Courtney Vandersloot and Imani Boyette put on an epic performance, as they both annihilated Los Angeles — especially in the fourth quarter, to keep their team alive in the playoffs. </p>
<p id="bnVfmS">Was it the Sky’s chemistry of continuing to pull together without Delle Donne that lead them to victory?</p>
<p id="mvCo4f">Was it big players stepping up, or was it simply the magic of home court advantage? </p>
<p id="2Y6GhV">“We were confident going into this game because they hadn’t seen our best yet,” said the star of the night Courtney Vandersloot. “Although it was a little discouraging in the first two games, we knew coming home that we had to protect home court, we’re a different team; and if they saw our best, then we were going to put ourselves in a good position to win games.”</p>
<p id="oAh0u2">With a regular season record 11-6 games at home, and a record of 7-10 on the road for the Windy City ladies, home court advantage has, in a correlational manner, given them some edge in the past — and may have fueled their play Sunday. </p>
<p id="kvQbkR">“Compared to us, they were extremely hungry to win,” said Los Angeles coach Brian Agler. “I thought that we were like that in LA but not quite like that here and playing at home can do that for you—the momentum, can really work in your favor on that one on your home court.” </p>
<p id="KdLvJU">The main galvanizing force for the Sky at home was Vandersloot, who ultimately led Chicago to the victory. Especially down the stretch, as she scored the final four points to win the game. And while she was the best player tonight, something else stood out: Chicago’s synergy. </p>
<p id="qU7MQC">Let’s be honest: how many people picked Chicago to win this game? So what transpired that brought the Sky from the brink of elimination? Something that a stat sheet doesn’t pickup on — and it was the the Sky’s undeniable team chemistry. </p>
<p id="71lska">With a total of 22 assists, coming from both bench and starting players, Chicago’s teamwork was electric. Boyette began the first half scoring zero of the team’s points, but her engine was full throttle in the second half. </p>
<p id="clHsMd">“I haven’t shown up in this series yet. The lights have been kind of bright: I’ve been guarding two of the best players...I was very much a rookie this series,” she said. “My teammates have done a really good job of encouraging me and staying on me so I just knew third time’s the charm.”</p>
<p id="GcISei">Her play was good, but to ultimately win, though, the Sky had to find a way to shut down, arguably, the best collection of talent in the WNBA — especially with the formidable frontcourt duo of Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike. </p>
<p id="ugcnpj">Vandersloot credited her team’s tough defensive play for shutting down the two offensive queens.</p>
<p id="4wkNi6">“I think they scored...eight points or something in the third quarter, and that’s just unheard of for a team that skilled and with that many offensive threats,” she said. “That’s going to be the key, is offense has kind of been our thing all season and this game was a little bit low-scoring for us, but we got it done on the defensive end.”</p>
<p id="e7NIVB">“We were setting up our offense with 21, 19 seconds left on the shot clock [in the first half] as opposed to in the second half, we walked the ball up the court and we let their zone affect us and that shouldn’t be the case,” Parker said. “Whether you’re man or zone we still should push the ball up to give ourselves an opportunity . </p>
<p id="0mP9Vv">“We took a lot of end of the shot clock three second shots [in the second half] and that’s not what we do.” </p>
<p id="0Y0GGp">Momentum in sports is a tricky thing, and if anything, this series has gotten a little bit more interesting, as Chicago now knows they can beat this team — even without Delle Donne. </p>
<p id="hrjSkK">“The first thing you think about without E is that you’re missing 22 points and they handled that,” she said. “I [feel] good about the offense because they trust each other and they’re very aggressive but I think it’s more about what we need to do to get wins, and that’s the ball game right here.”</p>
<p id="G9kLBv">And it looks like Agler is looking to disrupt the Sky’s chemistry and rhythm, while capatalizing on some good ole bulletin board material heading into Game 4. </p>
<p id="t4hmsy"> “Chicago said, we saw their best today—well we’re just going to have to get back to our best,” Agler said. </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/10/3/13141722/bonded-together-sky-confidence-trust-stuns-sparksGreta Meyle2016-09-25T21:00:09-04:002016-09-25T21:00:09-04:00Chicago comes together in big win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BM7qdsPdF1AbUOLZnt8B_wpnpCQ=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51031391/GettyImages-610393518.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Gary Dineen - Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Heading into the game, a couple big questions were if Chicago’s offense would flourish without Elena Delle Donne and if the Sky could slow down Atlanta’s Angel McCoughtry? The answer turned out to be yes for both, as the Sky went on to win the game. </p> <p id="QJku8O"><strong>Rosemont, IL —</strong> Strolling into their home arena Sunday afternoon, the minds of every Chicago Sky player buzzed with one nerve-wracking, but adrenaline boosting thought: With Angel McCoughtry coming off a transcendent performance, and the return of Tiffany Hayes from suspension, would they carry the Dream above the “Skies” into the semifinals?</p>
<p id="ne32Mq">If that wasn’t enough, most “prediction” sites putt Chicago 2 ½ points behind Atlanta, which carried an underlying message: that the Chicago Sky could not possibly hope to come away with a win without Elena Delle Donne. </p>
<p id="eHaHvM">Plus, with the Dream’s efficiency — and propencity — in driving to the hoop regardless of defensive difficulty, get bonus points from the line — they reap an average of 25% of their points off of free throws, another scoring advantage was given to Atlanta to win. </p>
<p id="eCtYVm">The Sky’s best hope going in, was to play smart, but utilize aggressive defense, to shut down McCoughtry, and most of all, prove the critics wrong — all the while activating their annihilating offensive prowess, despite the absence of their own hoop angel, Delle Donne.</p>
<p id="xsXgvM">The first step in accomplishing that feat meant disabling McCoughtry’s magic touch. In the first half, they struggled to stop her detonation, as McCoughtry’s firepower was on full blast — she walked off the floor at halftime with 21 points, and it looked like she was on her way to reenacting her epic play from Wednesday night. </p>
<p id="GDgq7U">Head Coach Pokey Chatman said the Sky knew the force they were dealing with. </p>
<p id="VECYrL">“Every coach in the history of basketball, who’s played against her wants to [stop her]. So, we have these great (defensive) plans, but when players can go out and execute, then that’s the next level, becoming a better team,” she said.</p>
<p id="IZ30IV">And execute they did. </p>
<p id="oCpbwC">Once the time began ticking in the third, Chicago had a new strategy to terminate Atlanta’s lethal weapon.</p>
<p id="r4M3R3">“We wanted to limit her touches, we had three things that we were doing, but we had Tamera (Young) be more aggressive, and we took her out of the help,” Chatman said. “We said, you don’t have to help anybody else, we’re just gonna come help you. […] It started there, and then, we just became a little bit more disciplined.”</p>
<p id="H9a7yS">Young and company pumped up the aggressive defense and just like that, McCoughtry became less of a threat to them.</p>
<p id="WyiTAW">However, the question remained, could a Delle Donne-less Sky also conquer the Dream on the boards? Did they have the innate capability to not just function, but monopolize the Allstate Arena floor without the reigning MVP?</p>
<p id="yhEHa7">Yes, Chicago could beat the Dream on the boards, in fact, they ended the game plus five on the boards, 41-36 and controlled the game the entire 40 minutes. </p>
<p id="35WSrD">Atlanta Dream Head Coach Michael Cooper responded that playing a team lacking a leading player is actually a toxic undertaking: “Usually when a team is missing their best player […] that team is really, really dangerous. Truly in the WNBA, this is a team sport, and when one of your pieces are missing, that’s an opportunity for other players to step up, and I thought they did that well,” he said.</p>
<p id="r8g9hp">Lots of fans, game predictors, and WNBA fans, regardless of their level of support for Chicago’s team did not foresee a playoff game, without their Delle Donne skyscraper, ending this way. </p>
<p id="lLfgny">But, as Cooper stated above, teams are very dangerous. </p>
<p id="aPx65s">In the face of this adversity, one player didn’t step up — instead, they all did. Courtney Vandersloot and Jessica Breland each scored 21 and 20 points respectively, to take the team to victory. Cappie Pondexter and Young followed not far behind, adding 16 buckets a piece.</p>
<p id="0itcDI"> “[I’m] not surprised—I think what’s most important is that they’ve known that [they can] and part of that is, we’ve had to play without Elena,” Chatman said. “The fortunate thing, you know her missing games, so it’s not this ‘oh my god’ panic—it’s not easy, but there’s no panic in those players, and I’m never surprised…It’s fine being the underdog.”</p>
<p id="51bujg">Chatman said in Delle Donne’s place; she saw a lot of vocal leadership from both Vandersloot and Pondexter. As one of the team’s leading motivators, Pondexter affirmed — her and her teammates don’t need Delle Donne to make sparks fly.</p>
<p id="k35Hwj">“I think people tend to forget that basketball is a team sport — you know, it’s not necessarily about one player, you know she is our face, she is a superstar, she is a great all-around player but that’s what makes basketball special,” she replied. </p>
<p id="lENoJb">“There are so many wonderful players out there and you saw that on the floor today you had Jessica Breland with a double-double you had Vandersloot with a double-double and then you had other players contribute so it was beautiful to see and it’s going to make it that much more special when she does return to play with the team.” </p>
<p id="nNuWAK">For now, Chatman said there is still no timetable on whether or not Delle Donne will return to play in the playoffs. She also acknowledged the challenges they might face in the semifinals against the Sparks.</p>
<p id="YG6P6J">“Length, candidates for MVP, players that maybe should’ve been on the Olympic team but were not on the Olympic team, veteran players, veteran coach,” she said.</p>
<p id="yA8EQK">But after the energy she saw on the floor today, Chatman believes her players have it in them to keep advancing.</p>
<p id="SU0XBe"> “Going into [the semifinals], it’s nice that we have some momentum, and we’re doing some positive things,” she said, commending her players’ tenacity.</p>
<p id="5a7hE4">Now reigning victorious over the Dream, winning 108 to 98, Pondexter recognized Los Angeles’ strengths are big, but she still believes her squad can make sparks fly on Wednesday. </p>
<p id="yqj7Hu">“It’s gonna be tough,” she said. “But it’s zero, zero, so the important thing is to have that mindset.” </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/9/25/13050366/chicago-teamwork-makes-dream-work-wnbaGreta Meyle2016-09-17T01:30:50-04:002016-09-17T01:30:50-04:00Fighting for 4th
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/B0COtFU-FTG8ZhbQ6f8NjfLRi4Y=/198x118:464x295/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50889453/young.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chris Poss - Swish Appeal</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Chicago Sky are fresh off of a big win in overtime against the Minnesota Lynx. Friday evening, they continued their strong play behind the hot shooting of Tamera Young.</p> <p id="7qg1yD"><strong>Rosemont, IL—</strong> The New York Liberty and the Chicago Sky stepped into the Allstate Arena on Friday night carrying with them a toxic similarity — both team’s landmark players Tina Charles and Elena Delle Donne, would not be playing. </p>
<p id="uj73ME">With New York’s Lady Liberty out (rest) for the playoffs, the Liberty stepped onto the floor with back-to-back losses for the first time since the end of May, and to make matters worst, down to seven players.</p>
<p id="gm4r4y">Similarly, with Chicago’s famous Skyscraper out because of thumb surgery, her blue and yellow companions were left alone to battle for a higher seed in the playoffs. Considering these key absences, both teams clearly had something to prove. </p>
<p id="8AwTG4">However, after the Sky conquered the top-ranked Minnesota Lynx in overtime this past week, without their shining star on Friday, they entered with a fearless mindset into their third brawl of the year with New York.</p>
<p id="tWnoaU">Sky coach Pokey Chatman said her players knew they needed to step up.</p>
<p id="IJ9Ym1">“In sports, it’s man down man up they’ve all worked hard, they know what’s at stake,” she said. </p>
<p id="PpGLa5">And man up, they did. The ball seemed to have a positive spell for the Sky, receiving magic touches from the hands of Chicago’s Cappie Pondexter and Tamera Young. Pondexter wailed up the first shot for Chicago and was followed quickly by attacks to the hoop by teammates Courtney Vandersloot and Jessica Breland. </p>
<p id="gEOHcb">But one player from New York set the paint on fire — Carolyn Swords towered over the Sky’s defense, and put up shots inside with ease. </p>
<p id="RlJkWy">“[She] had a really good game; really standing up for us out there both offensively and defensively,” Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said of Swords’ strong first quarter performance.</p>
<p id="6MnPjU">While she scored eight of her team’s points, Chicago managed to hang on through the stealth of Pondexter and Young, swiping steals off New York’s sluggish offense and drawing fouls, to close the quarter out 25 to 24.</p>
<p id="tEzoRX">The Liberty slid into quarter two at a slow pace, with silence from the previous saving grace of Swords. The Sky capitalized, each player clouding the court, sending a mystified New York into their worst storm yet. Allie Quigley led the show of lightning, swishing a three, followed by a jumper by Faulkner. </p>
<p id="GLwWxF">Shortly after, Quigley swooped in for a steal and a fast break layup. With quick ball movement from Vandersloot and more points from Young, the Liberty exited the quarter paralyzed by the Sky’s dominating force, as they were now down 13.</p>
<p id="8Vtifp">For New York fans, the third quarter gave a short glimpse of hope — Brittany Boyd burst with more energy, dashing around Sky players with fervor. However, her thirty seconds of fame didn’t last, as quick-footed Vandersloot countered and quelled any momentum that Boyd had. </p>
<p id="gldGES">Once Vandersloot picked it up, it had a deadly effect, as Chicago really began to move the ball with such breathtaking precision. </p>
<p id="u9ewRP">Chatman said she’s been pushing fast ball movement for the last couple years, and it’s finally showing.</p>
<p id="l0QyQW">“They’re really comfortable with it [now], so that can give us an opportunity to get good shots,” she said of the pace. “And we’re fortunate enough to have a Faulkner, that can back up Vandersloot, Cappie that can lead the break. We have Allie Quigley with spacing, and I think they’ve just gotten really comfortable with pace and transition.” </p>
<p id="KnsyTi">As soon as the clock began ticking, there was no question in the Liberty’s mind – and body language -- that Allie Quigley was the queen of the fourth quarter. </p>
<p id="wHnNgv">The fierce guard sank a shot in the first few seconds, and then intercepted a pass, only to dash down the court and make another steal. Sparked by Quigley’s energy, Young revved up her engine and scored eight points in the fourth quarter alone. </p>
<p id="UDGZt2">“I just take opportunities that I get, and I’ve been getting opportunities more and more and more,” Young said after scoring a team-high 22 points. </p>
<p id="NEOAOf">“The first quarter, we played fairly decently, but on offense, I thought our turnovers really cost us tonight, they got a lot of easy baskets,” Laimbeer lamented, adding that focusing on player health is a must. “Overall I think, we know who we are, we know what we can do, it’s a matter of getting practice under our belt and getting people healthy.”</p>
<p id="s98Eku">And while Delle Donne couldn’t play, she was on the sidelines watching her teammates seal the win, and she said she couldn’t be more proud.</p>
<p id="fm4KbF">“It definitely puts me in a better mood to know that we’re coming home with some solid wins,” she said. “We really want to get to that fourth place spot to get a bye, so we’re doing what we need to do right now, and it’s really exciting to watch, so I’m giving my support and trying to cheer as best I can.”</p>
<p id="RYf9xe">Moving forward, the Sky still need to beat Seattle on Sunday. </p>
<p id="pe5jvA">“I know how difficult it’s going to be,” Chatman said regarding the task of beating arguably the hottest team in the league. “We’re going to have to rest, recover, and hit the reset button and get ready for a Seattle team that’s probably, in my opinion, maybe the best since the Olympic break.” </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/9/17/12925592/chicago-sky-wnba-playoffs-4-seedGreta Meyle2016-08-27T02:48:38-04:002016-08-27T02:48:38-04:00No Olympic hangover for Delle Donne
<figure>
<img alt="WNBA: Finals-Chicago Sky at Phoenix Mercury" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X5jDmBwygCQoi8tMCqwvCt1ntwY=/0x0:2077x1385/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50545593/usa-today-8076651.1472280517.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If the season were to end right now the Chicago Sky would not be in the playoffs. However, the season isn’t over and one player who is ready for that race to get the Sky in Top 8 spots for the playoffs in Elena Delle Donne. Delle Donne showed no signs of fatigue from her trip to Rio as she carried the Sky on her back to take down the Atlanta Dream.</p> <p id="ntZmXO"><strong>Rosemont, Il—</strong> The sixth-ranked Chicago Sky ransacked the fourth-ranked Atlanta Dream in a clash of capabilities—the Dream, bringing their free throw A-game, and the Sky their offensive prowess, in hopes of annihilation. </p>
<p id="DLXBgt">Each team proudly stepped on the court with lethal weapons, locked and loaded — star players Elena Delle Donne and Angel McCoughtry had returned with gold medals from Rio, now the only question was which would ignite their squad to take home the gold at the Allstate Arena. </p>
<p id="tp8FnO">Right off the jump, ferocity ensued from both sides -- each showing a desperation to take home their first win of the restart of the season. The Dream maintained a lead for the first two minutes, but took a beating from the Sky’s sly Cappie Pondexter and quick-footed Courtney Vandersloot. </p>
<p id="Is4PHs">While Vandersloot slithered her way through the holes in her much taller opponent’s defense, Pondexter pummeled straight through Atlanta’s players, a hawk crushing its prey, for basket after basket to pull Chicago into the lead. </p>
<p id="sMvMlB">The Dream struggled to get their offense in sync — wailing up prayers alongside impossible shots, which only allowed the Sky to snag rebounds for fast breaks and consequently, buckets. </p>
<p id="5C79wd">Once Chicago managed to lead by 10 points towards the end of the quarter, Coach Michael Cooper called a time out to snatch back his team’s motivation. Following the timeout, both Tiffany Hayes and McCoughtry stormed the hoop to get the Dream back in the game, and the duo successfully pulled their score up to close out the quarter a measly point behind the Sky.</p>
<p id="SwQiHh">Pondexter exploded into the second quarter at the same velocity as the first, sinking a shot in the first few seconds and topping that off with a fast break layup. </p>
<p id="4EfPi1">The guard commented on her stellar performance.</p>
<p id="EeAfqF"> “I’m a scorer, so I have to keep shooting no matter what,” she said. “I can do a lot of different things, so it doesn’t matter if it’s falling or not.”</p>
<p id="FisMpH">But shortly following Pondexter’s flame, the Dream took advantage getting calls off Imani Boyette when McCoughtry drew a technical and Matee Ajavon drew a shooting foul off a reverse layup. With their free throw cannon flipped on, the Dream gathered their footing, but Delle Donne began to step up. </p>
<p id="I6BzkV">The Skyscraper sank two buckets in a row to maintain the Sky’s lead. However, Elizabeth Williams cranked up her engine right on Delle Donne’s heels. The powerhouse dished in two shots and an and-1 to bring Atlanta within reach of Chicago, only one point behind once again. </p>
<p id="Um3J0S">Slamming a shot in right off a rebound, Williams reigned as queen of the quarter and brought the Dream to tie with the Sky at 37 even. Back and forth the scoreboard went, until the half closed at a tie game of 44 to 44.</p>
<p id="XW9xyN"> The floor quaked in chaos throughout quarter as Atlanta viciously released their firepower. Bria Holmes and Williams tag teamed as leaders of the floor for the Dream, attacking the court with unmatched hustle, their score skyrocketing ahead of Chicago. </p>
<p id="p2bJzY">Unleashing their best tricks, the Dream relentlessly charged the hoop to gain fouls and free throws off of Chicago. </p>
<p id="7xA61Q">However, Delle Donne wouldn’t let Atlanta take the lead too easily — pulling out the big guns; the star player racked up an and-1, a free throw, and a three-pointer. In the last minute, Pondexter regained the crown and made two shots to bring the Sky up, 62 to 75 — victory was within their grasp.</p>
<p id="2Xy1yR">A frantic Atlanta kicked off the quarter with audacious drive — McCoughtry continued to power the ball into the inside to draw fouls.</p>
<p id="ZKAk0x">“We felt we had the game,” she said. “And they just got rebound after rebound after rebound. That’s how they wound up getting the lead, and we could never recover from that lead.”</p>
<p id="9F7ECe"> Her free throws were not enough to redeem the Dream, for Pondexter and Delle Donne were ready to pounce. Pondexter sunk a three amid a sea of flustered Atlanta defenders and Delle Donne, hyped up, practically dunked, to bring the Sky up even further, now 80 to 72. </p>
<p id="eaXAXj">Williams, McCoughtry and Holmes fought and came within reach of Chicago, riding on their shirttails at 80 to 81 with three and a half minutes remaining. However, Delle Donne greased up her cannon and went in for the kill. </p>
<p id="viu1AB">An Olympian with everlasting energy, she sank two free throws off a foul, grabbed a rebound to score right after, and drew another foul out of Williams to then make two more free throws. </p>
<p id="44CcPw">In the final minute, Vandersloot snuck her way inside to bring the Sky up to 10 points ahead at 90 to 80. Atlanta retaliated with one more basket, but it was no use — with only 12 seconds remaining all Chicago fans rose to their feet to rejoice.</p>
<p id="nJ86c9"> “We took care of the basketball, and I think the key was we married that to good offensive execution and attacked and got to the free throw line,” said Sky coach Pokey Chatman. “I think that comfort allowed us to weather the storm when we were down by seven and then up by eight. </p>
<p id="CzwWz7">“It was nice to see that, and we’ll need it as we head on to Dallas.”</p>
<p id="XVvo5L">And just like that, Atlanta’s two-game sovereignty over the Sky came to a halt, and Chicago walked off their turf with the win. </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/8/27/12668096/delle-donne-sky-rockets-chicago-past-dreamGreta Meyle