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WNBA Chicago Sky

Chicago Sky Wins Preseason Finale over Atlanta

May 5, 2016 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


UNCASVILLE - On Thursday night, the Chicago Sky took the court for their third, and final, preseason game against the Atlanta Dream inside Mohegan Sun Arena. Chicago led by as many as 26 points in the third quarter and never looked back as they ran away with a 95-75 victory. Four Sky players finished in double figures. Betnijah Laney led the way with 14 points while Elena Delle Donne, Cheyenne Parker and Clarissa Dos Santos added 10 points each.

"The goal today was to get better and I think we took a step in the positive direction," said Sky Head Coach and General Manager Pokey Chatman. "It started with that first group of players, they brought energy and executed and that carried over to the rest of the bench. Throughout the game we saw improvement in areas, especially transition defense, which we talked about, and taking care of the rebounding situation."

With defense as the focus, the Sky allowed only four points through the 1:35 mark in the first quarter. Chicago led by as many as 15 in the first, paced by seven points from Delle Donne and six from Dos Santos early in the game. At the end of the first, the Sky was ahead 23-13.

In the second quarter, Chicago used a 13-2 run to extend a 43-22 lead with 4:47 remaining in the half. Laney delivered eight points in the quarter and by halftime the Sky had a comfortable 53-35 lead.

Laney continued her hot streak offensively after the half adding six points in the third. Chicago led 76-52 heading into the fourth quarter and never looked back.

"I think from yesterday to today it felt like a completely different team and that all stems from our defense," said Delle Donne. "It's exciting that we were able to bounce back and now we just have to continue to push through."

The Sky's roster will be finalized to 12 players on May 12 prior to the Sky opening its 10th season at Allstate Arena on May 14th against the Connecticut Sun. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. CT. To purchase tickets call 866.SKY.WNBA or visit CHICAGOSKY.NET.

Postgame Notes

Chicago Sky 95, Atlanta Dream 75

NOTES

- The Sky finished the preseason with a 2-1 record, outscoring competition by an average margin of 90 to 73.

- The Sky's 30-point third quarter was their highest scoring quarter of the preseason, and the second-highest scoring quarter of any team during the preseason. The Indiana Fever had a 32-point quarter against the Dallas Wings on 5/1.

- Chicago forced 21 Atlanta turnovers in the game. The Sky forced teams into an average of 20 turnovers per game during their three preseason games.

- The Sky finished the preseason shooting 53% from the field, 36% from beyond the arc, and 79% from the charity stripe.

- Chicago's bench made solid contributions against the Dream, led by Bentnijah Laney who scored 14 points and collected 4 rebounds.

- Elena Delle Donne went 4-for-7 from the field in tonight's game, finishing the post-season shooting 82% from the field.

- Sky rookies Imani Boyette and Jordan Jones both had their best games of the preseason. Boyette had eight points and two blocks in 13 minutes while Jones had an efficient 16 minutes, scoring sevent points dishing out four assists.

- Atlanta was without three starters from last year's team, as Angel McCoughtry, Sancho Lyttle and Damiris Dantas who are all finishing their overseas commitments.

- Elizabeth Williams, who was traded to the Dream over the offseason from Connecticut in exchange for the 4th pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, led the Dream with 12 points tonight.

- Bria Holmes, selected by the Dream with the 11th pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, had a game high eight assists in 29 minutes.

QUOTES

Chicago Sky Head Coach & General Manager Pokey Chatman

(Opening statement...)

"The goal today was to get better, and I think we took a step in the positive direction. It started with that first group of players, they brought energy and executed and that carried over to the rest of the bench. Throughout the game we saw improvement in areas, especially transition defense, which we talked about, and taking care of the rebounding situation. So overall, we got better."

(On Imani Boyette's improvement from last night's game to today...)

"Imani's like a sponge. She's six-seven, but she asks questions like point guards ask, and we like that. She wants to know the why behind the what, but she doesn't ask you something five or six times. She gets it through her mind so she's soaking everything up. It's nice to see some of her hard work, not just on the court, but in video and seeing some of those things carry over into the game."

(On the plan to get the starters more time tonight...)

"It was a feel. The starters did some things early and often that I needed to see, and that's what needs to be done every night. I think in retrospect it was nice to check off about four things that were trying to concentrate on: taking care of the basketball, rebounding, transition defense, and spacing offensively. So it was nice to correct those areas tonight."

(On the addition of Imani Boyette's length defensively...)

"It's great. We talk about it all the time. When you think about it, you talk about the twin towers [Boyette and Erika De Souza], but we have Elena and [Jessica] Breland, and Tamera Young, so those players are able to do something defensively whether you want to switch screens or whatever you want to do. It just gives you another option to be really solid."

(On awaiting Allie Quigley's return from Turkey...)

"Allie had a great year over there in a great league...it gives her that same level of confidence so when she gets back here so late there's that comfort of being one of the team and not being left behind. We send her video of our practices and everything we're doing. So she's a pro's pro and that's going to help her when she transitions back"

(On having experience on the roster heading into the season...)

"For me, it gives me comfort knowing our core has been together. They can help us be solid early on. We just have to make a couple of adjustments"

(On Elena Delle Donne being in midseason form...)

"Elena's unique in that she doesn't play in the offseason, so she has to find balance between taking care of her body both mentally and physically. Not many people can just not play an offseason and come back and get in rhythm, so it's nice to even mention that. She's an elite athlete. She knows the areas she needs to improve on, not many of them offensive, and that's been her focus. I don't even think she realized that she didn't miss a shot yesterday. All she could talk about was 'I had three dribble penetrations' --that's her mentality. She's turned the corner into that next level."

(On what Elena Delle Donne can improve on this year...)

"It starts on the defense end of the floor. Elena's six-five, and I know people that are six feet that can't keep Angel McCoughtry or Maya Moore in front of them. That's a tough job. It's about Elena using her length and angles. I think she's done a good job with that. She's not going to gain 30 pounds or beef up in the post, but it's about position and putting that work in early and that's what we want. We want her to have that versatility on the defensive side of the ball; that's what I've been talking to her about."

Chicago Sky Guard/Forward Elena Delle Donne

(On the difference in today's energy...)

"I think from yesterday to today it felt like a completely different team and that all stems from our defense. It's been the talk since the beginning of preseason. Last season, we were number one on offense, and number eleven on defense, and that's not going to win anything. It's [defense] been the focus. Obviously there's some inconsistency from yesterday to today, but it's exciting that we were able to bounce back and now we just have to continue to push through."

(On Coach Chatman's goals for her this season...)

"She's given me like fifteen things this year. So it's a little more difficult than just one thing, which was rebounding the year before. My head's spinning a little bit on the defensive end, but it's good. I need it. I need to be challenged like that."

(On juggling multiple responsibilities...)

"You've got to do a lot. It's been a great preseason so far with a lot of things going on and I think this year is going to be crazy, with it being the 20th season and an Olympic year so we're going to have to get used to that being a little bit different on the fly. So far it seems to be going great, and I think it's a great challenge for our team to have some of that."

(On adapting to WNBA playoff changes...)

"I think it just solidifies the importance of defense. Especially, in the playoffs, those single elimination games, you may be having an off night shooting and you might not be able to control the offense, but defensively you can always be consistent."

Chicago Sky Center Imani Boyette

(On if she's happy with the progress she's made this preseason...)

"I feel like I'm stepping in the right direction. At this stage in my career I have to be happy with progress and not with the whole picture, because obviously I'm not going to turn into an All-Star overnight."

(On her contributions on defense...)

"I came for defense. I'm trying to focus on being in the right position, talking more and talking through it. It's been really fast for me on defense, which is something I'm not used to, because in college everything was slow motion and I knew where to be. Talking through it, just trying to make sure I'm focused on being in the right position and doing the right things in terms of details helps."

(On her goals for this season...)

"Every day I need to get better. That's just kind of my role getting better every day and I don't want to be like a lot of the rookies who generally don't do anything their rookie year. That's not my goal. I want to be able to contribute, whatever that may be. I'm trying to make sure that when I'm in, I'm using my moments to the fullest."

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