On the Beat With Coach Amber Stocks of the Chicago Sky-7/12/17

We were very happy to be back "On the Beat" at yesterday's Chicago Sky game, especially since they beat the Dallas Wings 90-84.  The Sky has now won consecutive games, to bring their record to 5-12.

As always, I arrived early at the Allstate Arena.  I like to soak in every minute of these experiences.  As I drove to Rosemont, battling the downpour, I wondered what the attendance would be.  

That question was quickly answered as I arrived at the arena.  Ninety minutes before the game, there was a huge crowd waiting for the doors to open.  The crowd eventually grew to over 14,000.  Again, a large percentage of the crowd was youngsters, who were excited, loud and well-behaved.

The Sky and Wings were tied at the end of the first quarter, but the Sky fell behind 50-46 at halftime.  This game was a battle.

The third quarter was owned by the Sky, as they outscored the Wings 32-13 to take the lead at 78-63.  The Sky would never relinquish the lead, surviving a 21-12 comeback by the Wings in the fourth quarter.

Guard Allie Quigley topped all scorers with 22 points.  As a team, the Sky shot 53% from the field, 48% from 3 point land and 57.1% from the free throw line.  The Wings shot 39.2%, 29.6% and 90% respectively in those categories.

Forward Jessica Breland took the rebounding honors with 12.  The Sky had 10 offensive rebounds and 30 defensive rebounds for a total of 40.  The Wings had 10 and 17 for a total of 27.

In the post-game media session, Coach Amber Stocks praised her team for their effort, especially without the services of Cappie Pondexter, who sat out due to the concussion protocol.  Coach Stocks talked about the big third quarter, the three point shooting and about Allie Quigley and Keisha Hampton, who flanked her at the session.

One reporter asked the players about their time at DePaul, since both came from that school.  Coach Stocks expanded on their answers by praising the DePaul program and Coach Doug Bruno.

I'd say it was a very happy media session, but Coach Stocks always keeps things professional and positive.  Her media sessions are interesting and refreshing.  I admit I did not know much about Coach Stocks prior to this season, but I have to say how much respect I have for her.  She is coaching the team during a transitional time.  After losing Elena Delle Donne, the team took criticism for trading the face of the franchise and one of the league's best players.  Prior to the start of this season, Stocks replaced former Head Coach Pokey Chatman, inheriting a lot of questions.

She has handled all gracefully.  Despite a 5-12 record, there are a lot of positive signs.  A little more consistency could have that record drastically improved.  I can honestly say, I have never seen the Sky give up.  They fight to the end.

Below is the post-game media session featuring Coach Stocks.  I will share the rest of the media session in the next couple days.

Thank you to the Chicago Sky for their hospitality.  Thank you to Coach Stocks for her time and consideration.  I encourage everyone to join the fun at a future Sky game.  Check out Sky.WNBA.com for all of the news, scheduling and other info.

On the Beat With Coach Amber Stocks of the Chicago Sky

I am very excited to be "On the Beat" with the Chicago Sky.  I have been a fan of the Sky since their debut prior to the 2006 WNBA season.  I have been reporting on the Sky on Patch.com, but Wednesday, I attended my first game as a member of the press.  You can read my full recap on the Patch at On the Beat With the Chicago Sky-6/28/17.

I arrived early at the Allstate Arena, expecting to see other media members and a smattering of super-fans.  I saw the media folks, but I also saw a large and quickly-growing crowd of youngsters.  Seriously, I couldn't believe how many kids were already there 90 minutes prior to tipoff.

That crowd just kept getting bigger, eventually topping 10,000.  I'd safely guess the average age was under 20.  They were already excited and loud (and well-behaved, I might add) well before game time.

I have to commend the youths and their adult leaders.  In an age of so many distractions, these kids focused on the game the entire time.  It was quite a spectacle to witness and it bodes well for the future of the Sky and the WNBA.  Today's young fan is tomorrow's ticket-buyer.

The Sky lost 82-75 in a very good game.  Despite falling behind early, the Sky roared back with an 11-0 run and actually led by 1 at halftime.  Unfortunately, the Sky could not keep pace with the Fever, who pulled away and held off the Sky for the win.  Still, a few missed free throws and a successful 3 pointer could have changed the outcome very easily.  I give all due credit to the Fever, but the Sky hung tough.

I took part in the post-game media session.  Coach Amber Stocks started it by praising her team's effort (and rightly so).  This wasn't just notebook-filler stuff.  Coach Stocks was absolutely correct and I am sure her team appreciated the support.

All wasn't just flowery talk though.  Coach Stocks did talk about the deficiencies of the game and the Sky in general.  She gave a valid assessment of the situation.

Coach Stocks also talked about the positive side.  The team scored 24 points in the 4th quarter.  The Sky had a 48-25 rebound advantage.  They had the 11 point run when they were down.  These things all speak of a team not as bad as their 3-11 record would indicate.

I was very impressed with Coach Stocks.  She remained upbeat while being fair.  She was composed and professional.  Answering the tough questions after an even tougher loss isn't easy, but Coach Stocks showed her class and set the example for her team.

I also have to thank her for a small sign of nicety, as she came over and introduced herself to me after the session.  She certainly did not need to do that.  I'm not exactly a major media outlet, but Coach Stocks took a few moments to do so and I appreciated her effort.

Below is Coach Stocks answering the questions in the media session.  Over the next couple days, I will also share the media sessions with Cappie Pondexter and Jessica Breland.  All season, I will continue to provide recurring coverage of the Sky here and on the Patch.

I want to thank the Chicago Sky for their hospitality.  I encourage everyone to go to Sky.WNBA.com to get more info, including their schedule.  Then, take a lesson from the throngs of kids at the game and see for yourself!