If there was ever an fascinating matchup, it will be 6-foot-7 Chicago Sky rookie Kamilla Cardoso taking up 6-foot-9 Phoenix Mercury nice Brittney Griner. Each are a powerful presence within the paint, as Griner herself has observed. One represents the current and the opposite represents the long run. The time got here for them to fulfill for the primary time on Thursday in Chicago.
After a month-long hiatus because of the Olympic Video games, the Sky have been again in motion as they took on the Mercury. It was clear from the beginning they wanted to get again right into a routine. Plus, they have been with out beginning guard Chennedy Carter, who was out with a non-COVID sickness. It was additionally the primary sport with out Marina Mabrey after she was traded to the Connecticut Solar
The primary quarter set the tone because the Mercury outscored the Sky 30-12. It turned out to be all of the cushion Phoenix wanted as their lead remained in double figures as Chicago struggled to remain aggressive. The tip consequence was a 85-65 loss.
Cardoso completed with 10 factors and 5 rebounds. She shot 62.5 p.c from the sphere, the very best area objective proportion of anybody on the Sky. Griner completed with 23 factors and 9 rebounds whereas taking pictures 83 p.c from the sphere. Regardless of Griner’s dominating efficiency, Cardoso was capable of maintain it collectively as greatest she might by way of agility, energy and being fixed on protection. Afterwards, she earned Griner’s respect.
Griner mentioned:
I at all times like going up in opposition to folks my measurement. I appeared ahead to it tonight, and I used to be pleased with it. I don’t ever go right into a sport like, ‘Let me attempt to stretch it out extra on this one.’ I simply form of learn how they taking part in me. What the matchup is, in the event that they ship assist and that simply form of dictates what I wish to do this evening. However, I used to be pleased with the way it went.
Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon acknowledged Griner as a normal bearer for submit gamers within the league and praised Cardoso for her efficiency, expressing confidence in her means to be taught from gamers like Griner. Weatherspoon emphasised:
I feel you all know who BG is. BG is without doubt one of the greatest submit gamers doing it. She’s been round. You identify the protection, she’s seen it, she’s performed in opposition to it. So she’s very affected person in what she does offensively. I feel Kamilla did a heck of a job of attempting to maintain her off of the place she operates greatest. BG simply is aware of learn how to get photographs off, creates house, one thing that Kamilla learns from and he or she is aware of what she must do down the stretch after we meet them once more. That’s a very powerful factor, you be taught. You learn the way nice these gamers are. You’re taking some issues that they do, however then you definitely learn to defend it.
There have been another notable performances. Angel Reese notched her 18th double-double on the 12 months and broke Sylvia Fowles’ single-season franchise rebounding report. Dana Evans’ sharp taking pictures resulted in 14 factors. Rachel Banham, in her first Sky sport since coming from the Solar, went 3-for-10 from the sphere. In her return to Chicago, Kahleah Copper led all scorers with 29 factors.
The Chicago Sky (10-15) will hit the highway to tackle the Los Angeles Sparks (6-19) on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. ET.
