Rhyne Howard’s dominance didn’t only sting Angel Reese and Co. In fact, it may have stirred up something deeper in the stands. Watching from the sidelines was a familiar face in Tamera Young, someone whose journey has straddled the line between these two franchises. Young was drafted by Atlanta in 2008 but quickly found her basketball home in Chicago after being traded within a year. There, she carved out a legacy, ranking in the top 10 of ten different statistical categories for the franchise, including points, assists, and rebounds.
For years, Young’s name had been synonymous with Sky basketball. And just last season, she returned, as a mentor and assistant coach under Teresa Weatherspoon, helping guide rookie Angel Reese through her first pro steps. So, when Chicago announced its revamped coaching staff this April with Courtney Paris, Tanisha Wright, and Rena Wakama in the fold, one name’s absence echoed louder than the ones present. Where is Tamera Young? Fans asked with good reason.
Now, after this crushing loss to an Atlanta Dream team, head coach Tyler Marsh might just be asking himself the same thing. The Sky, despite improvements in key areas, was undone by Howard’s run that saw her go 12-of-25 from the field, 9-of-19 from beyond the arc, grabbing 8 rebounds, 4 assists. Now, if there is a stat line that reads like a warning shot to any team banking solely on promise over experience, this is the one. And through it all, Tamera Young sat and watched.
For Chicago, it wasn’t just a defeat. It was a haunting reminder of what they had, what they lost, and what they might be missing now. And who better to testify than Tyler Marsh? During the post-game presser, an interviewer asked Marsh, “When Rhyne was getting hot there, particularly in the fourth quarter, how could have stalled her progress a bit better?” The question was on point, and so was HC Marsh’s answer.
“With that kind of player, you’ve got to continue to find her. You’ve got to continue to have vision with her, whether she has the ball or whether she’s off the ball.” Truly, a little carelessness from Chicago allowed her to drain nine three-pointers. Including one at 6:40 and another at 6:11 that pushed the lead to 77-59. She then managed to cap it off with a 25-foot dagger at 2:01, and silenced any hope of a Sky comeback. On the other hand, Angel Reese missed key opportunities at the rim during crunch time.
To add to her historic night, Howard’s three-pointers in this game tied the WNBA record, and she further broke the franchise record as she surpassed Renee Montgomery’s previous mark. This also marked her ninth career game with 30+ points, putting her right behind Angel McCoughtry in Atlanta’s record books. For Atlanta, the night saw another milestone, as Brittney Griner moved past Lisa Leslie into second place on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list. While the Dream celebrated these achievements, the evening proved thoroughly disappointing for Angel Reese’s Chicago.
To even begin containing Howard, the Sky needed better team coordination, recognizing player positioning and responding as a unit, not as individuals. And Young, as someone who was a “control and confidence” stabilizer for the Sky, her vision could have been of paramount importance. Talking about the what-ifs, one Sky player took the simple approach.
Angel Reese’s Teammate gets Real
The Chicago Sky’s third consecutive loss just dropped them to 2-7 this season. This leaves little to no room for explanations, and guard Ariel Atkins isn’t making any. Following their 88-70 defeat to Atlanta, she didn’t hold back. After all, the Sky are now statistically the WNBA’s worst third-quarter team, and it’s becoming their undoing. Despite holding a one-point halftime lead, Chicago unraveled after the break.
They were able to muster just 31 second-half points compared to Atlanta’s 50. There were some strong showings from Angel Reese (12 points, 9 rebounds) and Kamilla Cardoso (15 points, 9 rebounds). But it couldn’t mask their recurring late-game struggles. Atkins delivered a straightforward statement. She acknowledged the issues, admitting, “Our third quarters have been tough, so now we gotta have a good fourth quarter”. However, her irritation was natural, but so was her faith in the team’s potential to improve.
“I know y’all are probably tired of hearing the same answers, but it truly is what it is,” she added. Their only wins have been coming against Dallas (that’s on a losing streak of its own). Her honesty, hence, laid bare the tough challenge that is waiting ahead. They have Connecticut up next (another team searching for answers). And Sunday will present a prime opportunity for Chicago to turn things around. But that hinges on finally delivering a complete, four-quarter performance.
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