Wintrust Arena was a mix of old and new Sunday for the highly anticipated third meeting of the season between the Sky and Fever.
On one end of the court — across from the Sky’s bench — sat Margaret Stender, the team’s founding president and CEO, with actor Jason Sudeikis two seats down. Kitty-corner from them, near the Fever, were Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and rapper Lil Durk alongside a row of longtime season-ticket holders.
The proximity between the long-timers and new supporters represented what is happening in the WNBA at this moment.
After years of steadily increasing interest and longstanding loyalty from diehard fans, the league is being catapulted to new heights. Two rookie are responsible: the Sky’s Angel Reese and the Fever’s Caitlin Clark.
The Sky’s 88-87 victory — in which they rallied from a 15-point deficit, sparked by a fourth-quarter burst from Reese — signaled these teams are future titans of the WNBA. It’s only a matter of time.
‘‘Everybody’s watching right now,’’ Reese said. ‘‘It’s one of the most important times. Both teams did an amazing job putting on a show.’’
The game was a masterpiece between two teams reluctant to call what’s budding a rivalry. But the jawing, fan response, ticket prices and level of play spoke for itself.
With a little more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Fever’s NaLyssa Smith caught a lob pass from teammate Aliyah Boston and scored against Reese in the paint. She followed up her basket with the player-favorite ‘‘too small’’ gesture.
‘‘I didn’t even see it,’’ Reese said. ‘‘My teammates had to tell me she did that.’’
Reese might not have seen it, but she responded like a competitor, unwilling to be mocked on her home court. She proceeded to go on a 10-point tear, shooting 4-for-5 from the field in the last six minutes.
Reese notched her eighth consecutive double-double with a career-high 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field and 16 rebounds. She is the first rookie since two-time MVP A’ja Wilson with 25 or more points and 15 or more rebounds in a game.
“I’m a dog,” Reese said postgame to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. “You can’t teach that.”
Fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso had a double-double, as well, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Together, the Sky’s ‘‘skyscrapers’’ — as they’ve been dubbed by fans — outrebounded the entire Fever team 26-25.
‘‘Electric’’ was the word Reese used to describe the fourth quarter, as the deafening cheers of the sellout crowd consumed Wintrust Arena.
‘‘The energy in there was amazing,’’ Reese said. ‘‘I couldn’t hear at times.’’
Between Reese’s late-game heroics and Clark’s magician-like facilitating, the game lived up to its billing.
At times, the cheers in response to Clark’s five three-pointers made it sound like a home crowd for the Fever. She finished with 17 points and set a franchise record for assists in a game with 13. Clark also became the first rookie in 10 years to have a double-double in points and assists.
The game between the teams June 15 was the most-viewed WNBA game in 23 years, averaging 2.25 million viewers. The game Sunday, which was televised by ESPN, is likely to be an even bigger blockbuster, with ratings expected to be public by Tuesday.
What’s already clear is that these franchises have the potential to play each other in the postseason for years. All it will take is both franchises continuing to develop, so they’ll be ready to take the reins when the inevitable transfer of power from the current giants in the league takes place.
If Sunday indicated anything, it’s that Reese and Clark already are nipping at the heels of those whose records they’re breaking.