“When I get more assists or something, we have a higher chance of winning.” This attitude to perform for the roster as a cohesive team served as an eye-opener for Angel Reese. And since then, the sophomore athlete has come across as a team performer for the Chicago Sky. But what happened yesterday was enough to send shockwaves across the league. Reese dropped her eighth straight double-double of the season and bolstered the team towards an impressive 81-87 win against none other than the Minnesota Lynx.

Despite averaging 16 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists in game one against the Lynx, Reese found herself spiraling with 6 turnovers. Meanwhile, the Sky slid into an 80-75 loss against the highest-ranked team in the league. But the team crawled back with a bang! In game two, Reese added an impressive 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists as Kamilla Cardoso added 17 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 assists against Napheesa Collier & Co. So, when a reporter asked, “This for you guys taking down the number one team in the league. And what does this just mean for the confidence that you guys have been able to finally close out a game?” A beaming Reese had her answer ready.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she tackled the question by the nape and exposed the team’s shortcomings. “I think we’ve let a lot of games slip out of our hands throughout the season,” Reese began. “This one meant a lot to us because we were on our home court tonight and we saw them what a couple days ago and we let that one slip away. And we also learned to ourselves, we can’t let anything else other than ourselves take us out of the game. Officials, play calls, turnovers- we have to stay zoned in and locked in. And I think we were super locked in today.”

The team often let the game slip away in crucial moments, especially during the second quarter. With ball security issues and offensive gaps translating as concerns for head coach Tyler Marsh and the locker room, Reese had no choice but to elevate her game. While she focused on helping her teammates by catching more dimes, our Chi-Town Barbie has found her momentum as she delivered an electric performance yesterday.

“Everybody just came in and just bowled. Everybody guarded their matchup,” Reese added. “Everybody made changes if we needed to make changes. If we missed the shot, we didn’t get down on ourselves. We got back on defence. So, it was just fun. Like, everybody just had a lot of fun tonight.”Appreciating team’s collective efforts in maintaining dominance in the paint throughout, the forward athlete emphasised the fact that they displayed an astounding defensive strength against the formidable team. Moreover, Reese’s defensive display was commendable yesterday, as she disrupted her opponents and showcased elite playmaking.

Angel Reese sings praise for her Sky teammate

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She’s tough,” Angel Reese said in a post-game interview. “And people slept on her, people kept saying she was washed. She shows up every single night and put on. Every bucket was tough. I’m just really happy for her. She’s getting her groove. That’s just not offensively; that’s defensively, too.”

Talking about veteran athlete, Ariel Atkins, Reese pointed out how people refer to the athlete as “washed out” over the years. However, it is the same athlete who has been the reigning scorer for the Chicago Sky this season. Though Ariel Atkins has shied away from the All-Star games for a couple of years, she won the All-Star title twice, in 2021 and 2022.

In fact, the five-time Defensive Player of the Year holder is an asset for the franchise and a driving force for the team on the hardwood.

But one of the toughest defenders in the league also doubles up as the lead scorer for the Sky. Atkins averaged 27 points against the Minnesota Lynx and propelled the team towards the unexpected victory.

No wonder Reese could not help but praise the athlete for her massive contributions. While the athlete moves as a silent killer on the court, can Atkins team up with Reese and Cardoso to maintain the winning streak? As the second-to-last team in the Eastern Conference standings, things look bleak for HC Marsh and his locker room as they eye the playoffs.