Guru’s WNBA Report: No More Unbeatens After Chicago Edges Washington at the Finish

By ROB KNOX (@knoxrob1)

 

The Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky competed against each other with unmitigated fury, delivering haymakers, counterpunching, and rallying from nine-point second half deficits to set-up a pulse-pounding finish.

 

Chicago’s Cheyenne Parker scored the decisive basket with 5.5 seconds remaining and Allie Quigley stole the ball on Washington’s final possession as time expired to secure an 88-86 victory over the previously unbeaten Mystics at IMG Academy Saturday night In Bradenton, Fla.

 

“The last play did not go as planned actually,” said Parker of her eventual game-winning basket. “It was recognition that I was supposed to hand it to (Courtney Vandersloot), but she wasn’t open and she was being denied. So I attacked the rim and kicked it out to the corner. Diamond (DeShields) drove and passed it to me and I had a layup. It was not planned. It was us playing basketball.”

 

No WNBA squad has ever gone undefeated, so odds were high that the Mystics would drop a game or two in this condensed and highly competitive season. 

 

However, even with that knowledge, the setback still wasn’t easy to process. 

 

Ariel Atkins scored 24 points to lead Washington, which dropped to 3-1. 

 

Atkins continued her remarkable shooting from 3-point distance to open the season. She leads the WNBA in 3-pointers with 15 and is fifth in the WNBA in 3-point shooting percentage (57.7%). 

 

In the Mystics last two games, Atkins has made nine 3-pointers.

 

Aerial Powers added 20 points and Myisha Hines-Allen had 13 points, 12 rebounds and three steals. This was her second double-double this season and the fourth of her career. 

 

The Mystics had a player score at least 20 points for the fourth straight game even though their offense sputtered and became stagnant at times especially on the final possession when the Mystics attempted to force overtime.

 

“We didn’t execute the final play well,” Washington head coach Mike Thibault said. “Our timing was off. We were trying to get a screen on the backside when Myisha started to drive. People on the backside went too early and the play went away. We just didn’t execute.”

 

During other moments of the game – especially in the first three minutes of the second half – Washington’s offense looked as if it should’ve been in a museum because it was a work of art.

 

Leilani Mitchell scored 11 of her 12 points in the third quarter.

 

 Fueled by a symphony of excellent ball movement, spacing, and execution, she made three consecutive triples to start the quarter that helped the Mystics expand their slim 37-35 halftime lead. When Atkins swished a triple a few moments later, Washington led 51-42.

 

However, with the Sky answering with huge baskets during the Mystics surge and getting balanced scoring, they knotted the score at 67 entering the fourth quarter. The Sky opened a 78-69 bulge with 6:43 remaining.

 

Gabby Williams and Parker each scored 16 points to lead the Sky (3-1). 

 

The ageless Allie Quigley added 15 points, Rutgers product Kahleah Copper scored 14 and Diamond DeShields -- who has seen limited action as she recovers from a knee injury -- had a season-high 10 points.

 

The Sky won despite attempting just six free throws. They prevailed because they limited the Mystics to 41.9 percent shooting. 

 

“The way we executed in the half-court was big for us today,” Williams said. “We have a lot of athletes and a lot of players who really want it. Diamond and Kaleah had some big moments of denying the ball, getting in the passing lanes, and applying pressure. We really wanted to win this game. We really want it bad this year and it’s showing on defense.”

 

Despite, the loss, there were still some positive trends for the Mystics. 

 

They have scored at least 85 points in each game. 

 

This was the fourth consecutive game Washington had at least four player score in double figures (Powers, Hines-Allen, Atkins, Mitchell). The Mystics forced the Sky into 17 turnovers, the third game this season they have forced their opponent into at least 15 turnovers.

 

“We didn’t lock in for 40 minutes tonight,” Atkins said. “We still have things that we have to get better at.”

 

NOTES: There’s still no update on Sabrina Ionescu, the former Oregon star and overall No. 1 draft pick, who had a MRI on her ankle that’s been diagnosed early as a third-degree ankle sprain. She was injured during the second quarter of New York’s game against Atlanta on Friday night … The Mystics have three days off before beginning a stretch of six games in 11 days against Las Vegas Wednesday at 8 p.m. on NBA-TV.