Kahleah Copper scored a game-high 23 points Friday night and Azura Stevens drilled a huge 3-pointer in overtime as the Chicago Sky defeated the Atlanta Dream 106-100 in Chicago.
Stevens’ bomb with 1:06 left gave Chicago (10-4) a 104-99 lead, sealing its sixth win in seven games and dropping Atlanta under the .500 mark at 7-8. It was also the Sky’s second win over the Dream, making it 8-0 in Commissioner’s Cup games and putting it a win away from clinching a spot opposite Las Vegas in that game this summer.
Chicago forced overtime when Copper canned a foul shot with 19.0 seconds left to make it 91-91. Atlanta had two shots to win on the final possession of regulation, but Rhyne Howard’s 3-pointer went long and Naz Hillmon’s putback was blocked by Stevens as time expired.
Five other players scored in double figures for the Sky. Emma Meesseman and Allie Quigley each added 17, while Stevens and Rebekah Gardner finished with 15 points. Courtney Vandersloot hit for 11 before fouling out in overtime.
Meesseman (12 rebounds) and Copper (10 rebounds) also finished the night with double-doubles.
Asia “AD” Durr came off the bench to score a team-high 21 points for the Dream and Aari McDonald added 20. Howard and Cheyenne Parker each tallied 16 points and Destiny Slocum netted 10.
Playing without center Candace Parker (knee), Chicago struggled to get stops during a first quarter that saw Atlanta grab a 26-25 edge. That McDonald hit a 3-pointer with 10.0 seconds left to provide the lead was fitting, as the Dream went 4 of 5 from the arc in the period.
But the Sky completely dominated the second quarter, carving up the Atlanta defense for 31 points and opening up a 16-point lead on Meesseman’s 3-pointer in the final minute. They settled for a 56-42 cushion at the break.
Atlanta rallied hard in the third quarter behind Slocum, who was responsible for eight straight points with an assist, a 3-pointer and two foul shots that pulled the Dream within 76-73 in the last minute. A 3-pointer by Quigley restored a 79-73 advantage for Chicago going to the fourth.
–Field Level Media