On the Beat With the Chicago Sky: 7/30/17

Last Sunday, I was back "On the Beat" with the Chicago Sky.  The Sky lost a tough battle 86-82 to the New York Liberty.  My recap of the game can be found on the Patch at On the Beat With the Chicago Sky 7/30/17.
The Sky are now 8-16 and tied for 10th place (out of 12 teams) with the Indiana Fever.  With 8 teams making the playoffs, it seems a longshot for the Sky.  On the other hand, the 8th spot is currently held by the Atlanta Dream with a record of 10-14.  Suddenly, it doesn't look impossible.
Sunday's game was very interesting.  The Sky outscored the Liberty in the 1st, 3rd and 4th quarters.  As a matter of fact, they outscored the Liberty for all but the 10-0 run for the Liberty at the start of the 2nd quarter.  As frustrating as that sounds, it is also a source of hope.  The Liberty are now 12-10 in 6th place and the Sky hung with them (except for that one spurt).
I continue to be impressed with this team.  Coach Amber Stocks is poised, calm and confident.  She praises her team when it's deserved, but she also accepts the criticism when it is justified.  She faces the media with her head held high, supporting her team as she explains what went wrong and what worked.
The players follow the lead from Coach Stock.  In Sunday's case, Jessica Breland and Allie Quigley faced the media.  While it is not a harsh group of reporters, it still can't be pleasant after such a tough battle.
I am also impressed with the fan base the Sky have.  The Allstate Arena is filled with young, loud fans, who know the team.  These aren't just casual fans.  These are the future ticket-buyers.
I am also excited about the future for another reason.  The team just announced they will move to the new Wintrust Arena near McCormick Place for next season.  The state-of-the-art arena will hold 10,000 and should be a major draw in the south loop.
As you can tell, I have been enjoying my experience with the Sky.  There are still 10 games left and I will be watching them either on television or at the arena.
You can check Sky.WNBA.com for more info, including their schedule.  I also want to give a huge thank you to the Sky for their hospitality.

On the Beat With Jessica Breland of the Chicago Sky

My first game live "On the Beat" with the WNBA Chicago Sky was last Wednesday's 82-75 loss to the Indiana Fever.  Despite the loss, I had a great time and recapped my experience on the Patch at On the Beat With the Chicago Sky-6/28/17.
Forward Jessica Breland, 29, starred at the University of North Carolina.  During her time there, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.  She had to sit out the 2009-10 season, but fortunately recovered.
The Minnesota Lynx selected her in the second round with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft.  She was then traded to the New York Liberty.  After 2 seasons with the Liberty and 1 with the Indiana Fever, Breland signed as a free agent with the Sky for the 2014 season.
This season, she is averaging 8.9 points per game, while collecting 6.6 rebounds.  She is shooting 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from 3 point land.
In Wednesday's game, she led the Sky with 30:16 minutes played and 22 points scored, on an incredible 11-16 (68.8%) shooting.
Breland discussed her impressive offensive performance and the rebound dominance of the Sky.  She was quick to share credit with her teammates.
As with Coach Amber Stocks and Guard Cappie Pondexter, I was very impressed by Breland's composure, professionalism and attitude.  At 3-11 with no home wins, it would be easy to hang your head.  Instead, the Sky shows every sign of remaining positive and pulling together as a team.  I really hope they start collecting wins and I believe they will.  Better times are ahead.
Once again, I thank the Chicago Sky for their hospitality.  It was a wonderful experience and one that I will be repeating and covering here and on the Patch.  In the meantime, go to Sky.WNBA.com for more info.