WASHINGTON — During a timeout in the third quarter Tuesday, Sky coach Tyler Marsh had sharp words for his team. With the Sky trailing the Mystics by nine points and hemorrhaging offensive rebounds, the typically soft-spoken Marsh raised his voice.
‘‘This is not who we [expletive] are,’’ he yelled, urging his players to box out.
For most of the season, the Sky’s rebounding has been a strength. They are near the top of the WNBA in second-chance points, thanks largely to Angel Reese, the leading offensive rebounder in the league. And they’ve generally done a solid job of limiting opponents’ second chances, too.
On Tuesday, however, the Sky gave up 16 second-chance points and lost 81-79 in a game that came down to the final possession.
‘‘We did not box out [today],’’ Reese said. ‘‘We continue to think that we can outjump people, including myself. Yeah, I got 15 rebounds, but I have to still body.’’
With the score tied at 79 and less than 15 seconds left, the Sky gave up yet another offensive board. Elizabeth Williams fouled Mystics center Shakira Austin with 2.8 seconds left, and Austin made both free throws. The whistle came late, and Marsh exploded at the officials after Rachel Banham’s desperation heave missed at the buzzer.
Marsh said the Sky shouldn’t have put themselves in that position but maintained the deciding foul was a bad call.
‘‘Usually when [late calls] happen, it’s because the ref is unsure,’’ Marsh said. ‘‘And if you’re unsure, you should probably let it go.’’
Marsh already had used — and lost — a challenge earlier in the game, so he couldn’t challenge the call on Williams, who scored 20 points and fouled out on the play. Williams said she didn’t ask for an explanation.
Reese, who led the Sky with 22 points and 15 rebounds, echoed her coach’s take.
‘‘Can’t let it come down to one possession,’’ she said. ‘‘The refs will look back and know that wasn’t the right call, but we just have to box out and not give them the opportunity.’’
Reese already had voiced frustration with the officiating after the Sky’s game Sunday against the Lynx, both in her postgame news conference and on social media. Officiating has become a flashpoint leaguewide, with players and coaches complaining about inconsistent standards.
When asked after the game whether it’s something that needs to be addressed in negotiations for a new collective-bargaining agreement, Williams said it’s possible.
‘‘If the league standards are going to be higher, then [officials’] standards have to be higher, as well,’’ she said.
There was some good news for the Sky. In their last matchup against the Mystics in mid-June, they gave up 40 points off turnovers and unraveled completely. This time, they handled pressure better and continued to defend the three-point line more effectively. They played competitive basketball from wire to wire for the sixth game in a row.
‘‘Effort hasn’t been an issue in weeks,’’ Marsh said.
The bad news? This was a winnable game against the ninth-place team in the WNBA standings, the kind that hurts when it slips away, especially with three of the next four coming against contenders. And Ariel Atkins, who’s trying to grow into the Sky’s go-to scorer, couldn’t find her rhythm for the second consecutive game. She finished with 11 points on 3-for-9 shooting against her former team.
The Sky return home to face the Wings on Wednesday in a game that also will serve as former star Allie Quigley’s jersey-retirement ceremony. Kamilla Cardoso finished her tournament with Brazil on Sunday in Chile, and Marsh said she ‘‘hopefully’’ will be back with the team.
