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Chicago Sky

Delle Donne Leads Sky over Atlanta 97-92

July 21, 2015 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


ROSEMONT- The Chicago Sky (11-6) defeated the Atlanta Dream (7-10) 97-92 on Tuesday night at Allstate Arena. Elena Delle Donne led the Sky with 27 points and 8 rebounds. Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot added season-highs of 23 and 19 points, respectively. Chicago improves to 7-1 at home, tied for the best home start in franchise history. Chicago also started 7-1 in the 2013 season.

"I think against an aggressive, defensive team, you have to be aggressive back. That's what we did," said Quigley. "The more you attack, the more good things are going to happen."

The Sky and Dream traded baskets and fouls early, combining to commit 12 fouls in the first quarter alone. The Sky was able to capitalize at the free throw line knocking down six of seven free throws. Vandersloot paced the Sky in the first quarter, recording seven points and two assists. At the end of the first quarter, Chicago and Atlanta were deadlocked at 20 points apiece.

Quigley caught fire at the beginning of the second quarter, scoring nine straight points for the Sky. Atlanta's Shoni Schimmel scored four points off the bench to counter for the Dream. Neither team could find significant separation, as the second quarter saw seven lead changes. At the half, the Dream held a slim 48-44 lead. Quigley led the Sky with 15 points and Tiffany Hayes added 13 for Atlanta.

Delle Donne got going in the third quarter after only scoring six points in the first half. The reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Month scored 11 points in the third while Quigley continued to pour in the points, adding five in the third. Clarissa Dos Santos banked in an off-balance jumper with 0.5 seconds left of the clock to give the Sky a 67-62 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Dream cut the Sky lead to three with 6:24 left in the fourth quarter but that was the closest they would get as the Sky never relinquished the lead in the final ten minutes of action. Despite a late push by Atlanta, the Sky would hold on to win 97-92.

Delle Donne led all scorers with 27 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Matee Ajavon led the Dream with 21 points.

The Sky will return to action on Tuesday, July 28th, as they take on the Phoenix Mercury in Talking Stick Resort Arena at 9:00 p.m CT. This game will be broadcast on The U Too and WNBA LiveAccess.

Postgame Notes:

Chicago Sky 97, Atlanta Dream 92

Notes

Allie Quigley's 13 second-quarter points set a new career high for points scored in a quarter. She finished the first half with 15 points and completed the game with a season-high 23 points.

Elena Delle Donne's game-high 27 points was the 12th time she has led the team in scoring this season.

The Sky's 97-92 victory marks the sixth time the team has eclipsed the 90-point mark at home this season. On the year, the Sky is 8-1 when they reach 90 points.

At 7-1, the Sky holds the best home record in the WNBA.

The Sky set new season-highs in fourth quarter and second half points with 30 and 53 respectively. Their previous highs were 28 and 50 respectively against Tulsa on June 6.

The Sky's 11 victories before the All-Star Break are the second-most in franchise history. The team won 12 games pre-break in 2013 on the way to capturing the East's best record of 24-10.

While both losses, the Atlanta Dream's two highest scoring games this season has come against the Sky. The first being a 100-96 loss in Chicago on June 24 and the second coming in tonight's 97-92 defeat.

Atlanta Dream guard Matee Ajavon set a new season-high in points with 17. Fourth-year guard Tiffany Hayes also tied her season-high of 19 points.

On her way to 14 points tonight, forward Angel McCoughtry collected her 4,000th career point. She is the 25th player in WNBA history to log 4,000 career points.

The Dream's 30 fourth-quarter points was a season-high. Their previous high in the fourth quarter was 29 points vs. the Sky on 6/24/15.

QUOTES

Chicago Sky Head Coach and General Manager Pokey Chatman

(On the third quarter...)

"Holding them to 14 points in that quarter really helped get us some momentum. Even when it was back and forth we never let a lack of defense or them getting buckets affect us offensively to the tune of four players being in high double figures. That is something that fuels us. All in all, a nice win going into this break against a good Atlanta team."

(On what worked defensively....)

"We got a lot of deflections that quarter. Tamera Young keeps those deflections and it's hard to believe but we actually had 38 for the game, the most we've had all year. The guards started putting a lot of pressure on the perimeter so the entry passes weren't as easy. We were collapsing, sinking and helping -the dirty work that doesn't always show up on the stat sheet."

(On the aggressiveness of the game....)

"Figuratively speaking, it's a mentality. It's being able to put Allie Quigley in the game and knowing I can call her number. That's a dog mentality, that's ice water in your veins, that's trust, because you know she puts the work in. Cappie struggled, but then was able to hit that corner three. Timely baskets -that's a mentality."

Chicago Sky Guard/Forward Elena Delle Donne

(On where the team is right now...)

"We're in a great place. I'm really happy with our offense. I feel like any given night somebody can step up and go off. Defensively, we're getting there and I think we're going to peak at the right time."

(On how she was able to bounce back from a low-scoring first half...)

"I felt like I was getting really good looks and my shot felt good so I knew I was going to continue to be aggressive. Obviously Angel [McCoughtry] was in foul trouble, as well, and I knew she was going to be guarding me in the second half so I just attacked the rim and saw the ball go in that way. Then I got a little more confidence in my outside shot."

Chicago Sky Guard Allie Quigley

(On her recent scoring spree...)

"I think it's the result of the way our team is set up. I just try to go in there and be aggressive and, like we've said before, we have so many scoring threats that if you're aggressive, something's going to open up."

(Allie on 2nd half mentality....)

"I think against an aggressive, defensive team, you have to be aggressive back. That's what we did and we just attacked them. When they get a couple, you want to go at them. The more you attack, the more good things are going to happen. You're either going to get a basket or a foul."

Atlanta Dream Head Coach Michael Cooper

(On the team's game plan...)

"[Our game plan was] to win the game it didn't matter if she [Elena Delle Donne] got 60 tonight we were going to win the basketball game. Rebounding is always a key. When you win the rebounding war most of the time you're going to win the game. We didn't do that well, I thought they out hustled us."

(On the Dream getting into foul trouble...)

"We had two of our best players in foul trouble with Tiffany Hayes and Angel McCoughtry. It's hard to play when you have your hands handcuffed a little bit. I think we were being a little too aggressive and not sticking to our defensive discipline."

(On defending Elena Delle Donne...)

"Our goal is not to hold her down, our goal is to hold their team down. They have some other good scorers in Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, and Cappie Pondexter. What we did with Elena Delle Donne was just a small portion of what we wanted to do. When you have four or five players in double figures that's always going to cause you problems."

Atlanta Dream Forward Angel McCoughtry

(On holding Elena Delle Donne to six points in the first half...)

"We stayed disciplined on her. We played smart on her."

(On early foul trouble...)

"You just can't get a rhythm. I would say half the fouls were me standing straight up. If they're going to call fouls, I'd rather get a real foul, but you just have to keep playing."

Atlanta Dream Guard Matee Ajavon

(On contributions to her shooting efficiency...)

"Being aggressive and getting help from my teammates."

(On the physicality of the game...)

"Every game has been physical for us. We didn't expect anything less; it's just the way it is."

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