Swish Appeal: All Posts by Tiara MaroccoBasketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2015-09-17T22:45:15-04:00https://www.swishappeal.com/authors/tiara-marocco/rss2015-09-17T22:45:15-04:002015-09-17T22:45:15-04:00Sky win Game 1 behind Quigley, Vandersloot
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<figcaption>Chris Poss</figcaption>
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<p>While the WNBA MVP, Elena Delle Donne, struggled somewhat, her teammates picked her up. Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot pushed the Chicago Sky past the Fever in Game 1.
</p> <p><b>Chicago, IL -- </b>The first WNBA playoff match-up started out strong for the Chicago Sky with the support of their home crowd, as they grabbed their first playoff win of the postseason over the Indiana Fever.</p>
<p>The Sky's Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot took over the first quarter, scoring eight points apiece, including two big shots by Quigley and an overhand shot from under the basket by Vandersloot to close out the first.</p>
<p>Chicago dominated the first with their biggest lead of nine points and went into the second quarter with a buzzer-beating rebound shot and a lead of 24-15. The recent 2015 WNBA MVP, Chicago's Elena Delle Donne posted no points in the first.</p>
<p>The second quarter was a different story as Indiana closed the gap, including two free throws with under a minute left, made by Indiana's Marissa Coleman. The Fever outscored a struggling Sky 20-12 in the period, falling short of the Sky by just one going into the half, 36-35.</p>
<p>Delle Donne responded out of halftime and ended up scoring 7 of her 9 points in the third. With a big fadeaway shot by Quigley, she led the team with 15 points and 3 assists going into the fourth.</p>
<p>The Fever got the lead back 8:06 left in the fourth 56-54 with a three-pointer by Coleman.</p>
<p>Stuffed between Indiana's Briann January and Coleman, Quigley squeezed in an unbelievable shot, making it 58-57 with under seven minutes left in the fourth. The Sky quickly took back the lead and Quigley threw on another two points to grab a lead of 61-58.</p>
<p>The Fever picked up their defensive intensity, but Vandersloot answered with a deep three to take back a back-and-forth lead and erupt the Chicago crowd.</p>
<p>Indiana's Tamika Catchings nailed a wide open three and two free throws to tie the game at 71, as the fourth quickly came to an end.</p>
<p>Even with a Delle Donne turnover and Dos Santos missing her free throws near the end of the fourth, the Sky held onto a 77-72 win over the Fever.</p>
<p>"It becomes a game of adjustments and a game of runs and a couple of the adjustments we wanted to make at the half was we thought that Indiana dictated the pace," said Sky Head Coach Pokey Chatman. "They were getting out in transition a lot and also, we thought we turned the ball over quite a bit and we didn't attack to the tune of only shooting one free throw."</p>
<p>The MVP Delle Donne had a stronger second half with 14 points.</p>
<p>"I trust every single person on this team and instead of taking a forced shot," said Delle Donne. "I'd rather give it to somebody who's maybe a little bit more open and they'll knock it down. We won. That's all that matters. If I have zero points, zero rebounds, and we come out with a W, that's all I care about.</p>
<p>"Clearly, this team is why I won MVP this year and that showed out there and it will continue to show throughout this playoffs."</p>
<p>Quigley, who just accepted her second consecutive Sixth Woman of the Year award, led her team with 20 points and 6 assists, while Vandersloot was close behind with 19 points and 5 assists.</p>
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<b>Related</b>: <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2015/9/18/9350331/mvp-off-night-quigley-shows-value">MVP has off night, but Quigley shows her value</a>
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<p>"Personally, it means that all your hard work has paid off and it is nice to be recognized," said a humbled Quigley. "But honestly, it's really hard not to think about your teammates when you have these awards because you know it's not possible without them. Really, it's not."</p>
<p>Catchings led the Fever with 21 points and 4 assists.</p>
<p>The Chicago Sky face the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis on Sat., Sept. 19 for the second game of this playoffs series.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2015/9/17/9349985/quigley-vandersloot-rescue-sky-slugfest-feverTiara Marocco2015-09-04T08:39:18-04:002015-09-04T08:39:18-04:00Late game blunders by Mystics cause loss to Sparks
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington Mystics had a comfortable double-digit lead over the Los Angeles Sparks, and then something happened, that changed the direction of the game: Candace Parker.</p> <p>Coming off a two-game losing streak, the hungry Mystics looked unstoppable in the first half while a two-game winning streak seemed out of reach for the Sparks.</p>
<p>The game-changer tonight: Candace Parker. After taking two months off this season including missing the previous Sparks-Mystics matchup, Parker led her team with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, her 12th double-double of the season, tied with teammate Jantel Lavender.</p>
<p>The Sparks started out slow with four turnovers in the first quarter and going into an exciting second quarter down by six.</p>
<p>Washington did not let up in the second, rushing momentum, moving the ball, and finding easy baskets while Los Angeles struggled to react on defense. With sixteen of their thirty-three points coming off the bench and allowing just one turnover, the Mystics found themselves with a 15-point lead, the highest of the game.</p>
<p>Just under three minutes left in the second, Washington's Ivory Latta flopped against Candace Parker, causing the referees to call an offensive foul on Parker and a technical foul on an upset Coach Brian Agler. Latta made her free throws forcing a score of 46-33 and the Mystics with possession.</p>
<p>A big change in momentum for the Sparks came with under a minute to go in the second, as Lavender passed it to Parker, who threw an <a href="https://vine.co/v/eTgqEBHLvBx">unbelievable overhead pass behind her to Nneka Ogwumike who scored</a>, closing the gap to 48-41.</p>
<p>With under 30 seconds to go, Latta responded with a deep three, creating a 10-point deficit. However, Ogwumike would make two free throws and Washington's Tayler Hill answered with a layup to close the half, taking back the 10-point lead, 53-43. The Mystics' 53 points are the most the Sparks have given up at the half this season, with 49 as their previous number.</p>
<p>Washington went into the half with 18 assists, 6/7 in 3-point shooting, and 18 points coming off the bench, double than what the Sparks were producing, except for their impressive two turnovers.</p>
<p>Both teams played a slow third quarter, with Washington taking poor shots and missing big 3-pointers.</p>
<p>Los Angeles picked up the pace and was able to close the gap to just four points behind the Mystics. With a few of Washington's missed shots and Los Angeles' 9-3 run, including an impressive show by Parker, the Sparks went into the fourth quarter trailing by four.</p>
<p>The Mystic's Emma Meesseman opened up the fourth with four points in just four seconds.</p>
<p>Lavender nails her first free throws of the night, tying the game for the first time, 74-74. Los Angeles' Alana Beard grabs a rebound to Parker, who hit a layup taking the lead for the first time since the score was 2-0.</p>
<p>As Parker and her team pick up the tempo with a 23-7 run, Washington lost its composure with multiple turnovers and missed shots.</p>
<p>A foul on Latta's three-point attempt by Los Angeles' Kristi Toliver, results in her hitting all three free throws, which brought the struggling Mystics to within one of Los Angeles' 90 points.</p>
<p>However, in the waning seconds, Latta missed a game-tying three-pointer with three seconds left, and Meesseman grabbed the offensive rebound, but had a quick lapse of judgement, as she went right back up with a layup, instead of kicking it back up for a three, creating an angry Coach Mike Thibault.</p>
<p>Parker is fouled and scores one free throw to make ultimately the final score 93-91.</p>
<p>Along with Parker leading the team, Ogwumike had 24 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and went 14-15 at the line.</p>
<p>The Mystics started hot and kept it close with the help of Meesseman with 19 points, 8 rebounds and one assist and Latta's 18 points, two assists, and going 5-5 at the line.</p>
<p>While Washington could not maintain that fire, Parker, and Los Angeles persevered and took their second victory in a row and a step closer towards playoffs.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2015/9/4/9259969/wnba-scores-sparks-rally-candace-parker-double-doubleTiara Marocco