Going Broke: Angel Reese Faces Financial Turmoil After Losing Nearly $50 Million In….
CHICAGO — Another matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, another dramatic finish. This time, it was the Sky who came away victorious, as they completed a 15-point second-half comeback to win, 88-87, in one of the best games of the season.
In the process, the Sky snapped the Fever’s four-game winning streak and jumped ahead of them in the standings into the eighth and final playoff spot. After an extremely close first half, the Fever seemingly broke the game open in the third quarter behind Caitlin Clark, who put on a passing clinic. They led by as many as 15 points in the middle of the frame, and seemed to be cruising to another victory.
The Sky had other ideas, however, and closed the frame on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to eight heading into the fourth. From there, it was all Sky, as they held the Fever to 15 points on 5 of 16 from the field. Angel Reese, who scored the go-ahead bucket in the final minute, finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds to set a new career-high for scoring and become the first rookie with 25 points and 15 rebounds in a game since A’ja Wilson in 2018. Kamilla Cardoso added a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Chennedy Carter went for 23 points.
Clark led the way for the Fever with 17 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and four steals. She not only set a new career-high for assists, but the franchise record as well. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in the scoring department with 24 points, and Aliyah Boston went for 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Reese leads comeback, makes history in the process
Late in the third quarter on Sunday, it was looking like a rather forgettable afternoon for Angel Reese and the Sky. She had been quiet, and the team was down by 15. Then, suddenly, she flipped a switch and lit up Wintrust Arena. First, an incredible catch and finish in transition for an and-one, then a pair of free throws to key a 7-0 in the final minute of the third cut the deficit to single digits.
She carried that energy into the fourth quarter and was unstoppable in the paint. NaLyssa Smith and the Fever had no answer for Reese’s energy and physicality, and she scored time and again on drop-offs and putbacks. With less than a minute to play, she posted up Smith and maneuvered around her for the go-ahead bucket.
“I’m a dawg, you can’t teach that,” Reese said during her walk-off interview.
When it was all said and done, Reese had 25 points and 16 rebounds on 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line. She set a new career-high for scoring and became the first rookie since A’ja Wilson in 2018 to put up a 25-point, 15-rebound performance.
After the win, Reese shared a moment with Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes, who had gotten a lengthy standing ovation during the game.
“I’d rather not share [what Swoopes told me], but she said she’s proud of me,” Reese said. “I’m already being coached by a legend, but being able to have Sheryl Swoopes in your corner, she talked to me before I even entered my name into the draft and she told me she believed in me … Being able to have that person in my corner is something I’ve always needed. She understands me, she knows what I’ve been through, what I’m going through, and just being able to have that is something that’s been super inspiring for me. She’s somebody that’s been a great mentor.”
