Sky post players Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso entered their sophomore seasons looking to broaden their games. Through 12 contests, however, most of their scoring still is coming in the paint.
Cardoso went beast mode down low Saturday against the Mercury, scoring 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field and even knocking down a baseline jumper.
The Sky won the points-in-the-paint battle 36-30 — the only category that swung in their favor in a 107-86 loss — thanks largely to Cardoso’s work inside.
‘‘She asserted herself early today,’’ head coach Tyler Marsh said. ‘‘She did a good job of being aggressive before they could bring double-teams.’’
Veteran center Elizabeth Williams agreed.
‘‘When she plays with that effort and that dominance, she’s hard to stop,’’ Williams said.
There’s clear potential in playing through Cardoso on the block, especially in isolation sets. But the pound-it-in approach doesn’t exactly align with Marsh’s preferred style, which emphasizes spacing and using post players as facilitators.
Reese, meanwhile, was quiet against the Mercury, attempting only one field goal. That was the lowest total of her WNBA career.
She made a three-pointer, her third of the season, and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line but spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench as the blowout ran its course.
Copper back in Chicago
Kahleah Copper, the MVP of the WNBA Finals when the Sky won the title in 2021, was back in town and played in her third game since having a surgical procedure on her knee. Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said the team gradually is building up her minutes, but she got a decent helping against the Sky with 23.
Copper looked more comfortable as the game went on, scoring seven points during a Mercury run in the third quarter and finishing with 16.
This is her second season with the Mercury after she requested a trade from the Sky in 2023. Already an All-Star with the Sky, Copper had the best season of her career last year, averaging 21.1 points. But she said before the game that Chicago still has her heart and that she considers it home.
Copper didn’t make it to Portillo’s the night before the game, but she said she plans to stop by Sunday.
Onyenwere rises
Former WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere has carved out more consistent rotation minutes in the last four games.
Her ability to defend on the wing and in the post is something Marsh values highly. She also gets downhill better than most of the Sky’s perimeter players, a much-needed spark for a team still searching for offensive rhythm.
‘‘We want to continue to find minutes and opportunities for her and figure out what the lineups around her would look like,’’ Marsh said.
Onyenwere scored 17 points on an efficient 6-for-8 shooting from the field against the Mercury.
Notes
Reserve point guard Moriah Jefferson is back at practice but didn’t play against the Mercury.
• Members of the cast of the drama series ‘‘The Chi’’ were sitting courtside.