Angel Reese stats: How did Chicago Sky star perform against Phoenix Mercury (June 21)

The Chiacgo Sky hosted the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday at Wintrust Arena. Angel Reese once again led her team as they looked to undo their 79-72 loss to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday. The forward was joined by Kamila Cardoso, Ariel Atkins, Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse in the starting lineup.

Reese had a slow start compared to other games, with Chicago only recording 18 points to the Mercury's 31 in the first quarter. Although better in the second half with 25 points compared to Mercury's 27, the lead at halftime stood at 58-43.

Phoenix widened this gap in the third quarter as they outscored Chicago by 19 points, and ended the quarter with an insurmountable score of 92-58. Although the Sky put in a strong effort in the final quarter, winning 28-15, the damage had already been done.

The Mercury took home a 107-86 victory, marking their fifth consecutive win in a row while setting a franchise record with 17 three-pointers made in the game.

Angel Reese through 4 quarters vs. Phoenix Mercury

After recording her sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday, Reese was expected to start the game against the Mercury similarly. However, the forward struggled against Phoenix in the first quarter. She recorded two points from the free throw line, provided a single assist, and blocked Kathryn Westbled’s two-point attempt before being subbed out with 2:14 remaining on the clock.

Reese checked into the second quarter at the eight-minute mark and was unable to make a huge difference. She went to the line twice during the quarter and made both, adding four points to her tally, while she added another assist through a Cardoso jumper. The Sky star also added a steal to her box score after she intercepted a loose pass from Satou Sabally, but was penalised twice for an off-the-ball foul and a kicked ball violation

The Sky, down by 15 at halftime, needed a huge performance in the third quarter and started strong with Ariel Atkins hitting a three-pointer right off the bat. However, a 10-3 run by the Mercury pushed them back as they struggled to find their rhythm. Reese attempted to level the playing field by grabbing a rebound and converting it into a three, but the Mercury followed with a 17-point surge, leading to her being subbed off with over four minutes remaining.

With the team trailing by 34 points at the end of the third quarter, things took a turn for the worse for Reese when head coach Tyler Marsh decided to bench her in favor of Maddy Westbled. Reese sat on the bench for the entire quarter and finished the game with 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Additionally, she recorded a +/- rating of -25, highlighting her struggles throughout the game.

About the author

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez