WASHINGTON — This was one the Sky (7-19) had a real chance to win.
With the Mystics’ (13-13) frontcourt in foul trouble early in the first half — and the Sky’s twin towers clicking — the Sky had a chance to steal one on the road. But they couldn’t get enough stops and fell 103-86, undone by an inability to keep the Mystics out of the paint.
At least they put up a fight.
That hadn’t been a given in their two blowout losses coming out of the All-Star break. Coach Tyler Marsh had challenged the team’s competitive spirit, and the Sky responded with back-to-back games of harder play — including stretches of promising offense on Tuesday.
They led in the first half, with contributions across the board, even from guards who’ve been quiet of late, such as Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse.
They also had sophomore forward Angel Reese back.
Playing in front of family not far from her hometown of Baltimore, Reese finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds after missing two games with a back injury. Her mother and brother sat courtside.
Her return — and 11th straight double double — gave the Sky a boost, but it wasn’t enough to match the Mystics’ paint dominance. Rookie Kiki Iriafen scored at will inside, and Sonia Citron — another rookie standout — went 5-for-6 from deep. The Mystics scored 52 points in the paint and hit 10-of-24 from beyond the arc.
“Defense told the story of the game,” Marsh said, acknowledging the Mystics’ ball movement. “They were hitting shots, getting downhill and getting to the paint.”
On the bright side, sophomore center Kamilla Cardoso had one of her most assertive offensive outings of the season, finishing with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting.
“I tell Mil, ‘When you look at somebody, look at them as food,’” Reese said postgame. “We’re going to continue to feed her and build confidence in her.”
Cardoso established deep position early and was a focal point of the offense as Marsh drew up new sets to get her cleaner touches. Having Reese back allowed the two to play off each other more naturally, with Reese’s drives drawing attention and opening space for Cardoso to work.
But the Sky couldn’t stop anything the Mystics did offensively. They’ve been flashing a zone defense to mix things up — and partly out of desperation with a shorthanded roster. But they haven’t had much time to practice, and Marsh said the team had a hard time keeping their guards in front.
“We really are just trying this on the fly,” guard Rachel Banham said postgame. “Teams are doing a good job getting in the middle, finding those gaps. It’s a work in progress.”
Foul trouble swung the game the other way. The Mystics dealt with it early, but Reese picked up her fifth foul in the third quarter. That sparked a big Mystics run the Sky never recovered from. Despite the strong stat line, Reese said the return from injury felt “rough” and that she’s still finding her groove.
The team may have a different groove entirely on Friday, with a new point guard in Sevgi Uzun joining the team. The Sky signed the 27-year-old to a rest-of-season contract, and she’ll be their first true point guard since early June. It’s possible the Sky’s leading scorer Ariel Atkins will be back too, after missing the last five games with a leg injury.
Elsewhere on the injury front, rookie Hailey Van Lith sat out for a second straight game with an ankle injury. Marquesha Davis finished her seven-day hardship contract.
Latest on the Sky and WNBA
