You know that old line about “one bad apple spoiling the bunch”? Flip that cliché on its head, because in Chicago’s case, one good apple might just be sweetening the whole basket. Angel Reese has been a steadying influence, and if her spot on Sports Illustrated’s “50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” list wasn’t proof enough, her teammates’ statement sealed it after the Sky stunned the fourth-ranked Liberty.

Down by a point nearly every quarter, the Sky snapped a five-game skid, and Reese was at the heart of it: both directly and indirectly. She posted 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists, but the real magic showed up in Kamilla Cardoso’s numbers: 22 points, 15 boards, and 5 dimes. That line made Cardoso just the 17th player ever to put up a 20-15-5 game. She’s now the only second sophomore in 2025 to do it. With this, she joined an elite list that includes Reese herself, A’ja Wilson, and Alyssa Thomas. And Reese might have had a hand, but why give her the credit here?

Because Cardoso did, too. When the interviewers asked about her rebounding surge, she smiled and pointed straight at her teammate: “I think I just try to inspire myself after Angel. She’s a great rebounder. So I just try to go out there and do the same thing.” That’s a far cry from the tension between the two back in college. Remember that LSU–South Carolina clash where Reese, battling Cardoso for a rebound, ended up tugging on her hair? Cameras caught it, the moment blew up, and it was unforgettable. Angel Reese has since clarified the story on her Unapologetically Angel podcast:

“That was an accident. I was going for a rebound. It was something I wanted, I went to go get it, something was in my way, it was the wig. It was an accident, though.” Reese said and she even made sure to smooth things over before they became teammates. “When I got to the draft, the first thing I made sure I did was apologize to Kamilla because I know we was going to be teammates. I was like, ‘Kamilla, I want to tell you this right now. I apologize for your wig.’”

Cardoso, for her part, couldn’t wait to team up with Angel Reese either. At 6-foot-7 next to Reese’s 6-foot-3, she laughed during a draft presser: “Two great players together, nobody’s going to get no rebounds on us.” And she wasn’t exaggerating because, against the Liberty, the duo combined for 25 boards, nearly matching New York’s entire team total of 27. However, they weren’t the only ones showing out that night. Here’s how everything went down…

Angel Reese’s Sky vs Ionescu’s Liberty

Chicago’s night at the Barclays Center was a clear lesson on how to use their size and grit as a weapon. Led by their powerful frontcourt duo, the Sky managed to beat the New York Liberty 91-85. This victory ended their own five-game losing streak and, just as satisfyingly, snapped a five-game skid specifically against New York. With the win, Chicago improved its record to 9-26 after having lost 13 of its previous 14 games, while the Liberty fell to 22-14.

Kamilla Cardoso set a new personal best with 22 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, and a sparkling 8-of-9 shooting performance from the field, plus a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. Angel Reese, playing in only her second game back from a back injury, piled on 21 points and 10 boards. But this was no blowout; it was a street fight. The game featured twenty-one lead changes and 11 ties, and the Liberty were still ahead 85-83 with just 2:28 left after Sabrina Ionescu sank two free throws.

Then came Ariel Atkins, who scored nine of her 19 total points in the fourth quarter. Those crucial points included a runner through contact and a subsequent free throw with 1:35 remaining that gave Chicago a lead it would not relinquish. Michaela Onyenwere chipped in 13 points, and the Sky closed the game on an 8-0 run while the defending champions went completely cold. They went 0-for-4 from the field and committed a turnover.

New York was led by Jonquel Jones, who tied her career-high with five three-pointers and finished with 25 points. Ionescu added 16 points, and Natasha Cloud had 14. However, the absence of Breanna Stewart (knee) was a major factor, and the Liberty’s shooting cooled off dramatically. They shot 10-of-20 from deep in the first half but only 3-of-17 after halftime.

As WNBA reporter Lucas Kaplan pointed out, “Chicago Sky made, count ’em, five shots outside the paint to beat the Liberty, 91-85, tonight. Sheesh. They made just one in the second half, a banked-in three.” The stats back this up, showing that 52 of Chicago’s points came from in the paint, where they shot 50% (31-of-62).

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello did not mince words after the game, stating, “Yeah, we’re all pissed off. You can’t come out and play as well as we did against Minnesota and then come out and not do the same against this team. Our inconsistencies are mind-boggling at times.” The Liberty will now travel to face Atlanta next. While the Sky will return home to play Connecticut on Saturday, carrying the momentum they haven’t felt in weeks.