Angel Reese continues to work on her offensive game during a sophomore slump, but Tuesday night’s win over the Los Angeles Sparks might be the launching point needed as a confidence builder of sorts. Following her 18-point, 17-rebound and six-assist performance, Reese made WNBA history by becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 150 rebounds and 50 assists in a single season, according to Polymarket Hoops.
Earlier this month, Reese posted her first career triple-double and recently became the fastest player to score 500 points and pull down 500 rebounds.
Following the Sky’s first win nine days to snap a three-game skid, Reese was succinct in her statements about her team coming together to get back on the right track.
“Just taking things day by day. Our coaches have did a good job,” Reese said after the Sky’s 97-86 victory. “Tonight, we took it personal and knowing our matchups … we have to celebrate our small wins. Tonight felt really good for us.”
Chicago trailed by six points at halftime with minimal action from Reese before the former LSU star ignited a second-half run. Reese is now averaging a double-double on the season through 13 games with 10.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.
“We got to set the tone every single night,” Reese said. “We’ve let a lot of games slip away from us. We really wanted to win this one tonight.”
Kamilla Cardoso poured in a career-high 27 points as both of Chicago’s twin towers dominated in the low post.
“You know, the messaging is just that we can’t have anything less than that effort-wise,” first-year Sky coach Tyler Marsh said. “If we give the right level of effort, if we take care of the ball, if we stay attentive to the game plan, then we’ll find ourselves in some of these games. And so, that’s been the messaging thus far.”
At 4-10 overall, the Sky hold the WNBA’s fourth-worst record and are 2.5 games back of the Washington Mystics in the Eastern Conference.
Marsh has brought a new offensive system to Chicago following a successful two-year stint as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces. Players have respected his championship pedigree, but they are still working out the kinks with the transition at that end of the floor.
Marsh was asked if his team’s play in the second half was a reflection of his team knowing how to handle his updated offensive game plan.
“I don’t know if you can get that just from one game, I think you’ve got to build up some consistency over the course of a few games to really feel that, but I will say the effort that we gave in Atlanta combined with (tonight), that’s lets us know we’re trending in the right direction,” Marsh said.
