Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Sky faced the Golden State Valkyries in their first-ever matchup, resulting in a 78-83 loss for the Sky. The game was held at Chase Center before a sold-out crowd.

In the opening quarter, the Sky led 22-20 with Kia Nurse contributing 9 points, making three of her five three-point attempts off the bench. Kayla Thornton also scored 9 points for the team.

By halftime, the Sky were trailing 39-34. Nurse had accumulated 12 points, while Ariel Atkins and Rachel Banham each added 6 points. Kamilla Cardoso was absent as she joined Team Brazil for the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup. Despite seven successful three-pointers in the first half, foul trouble plagued Angel Reese, Michaela Onyenwere, Nurse, and Atkins with two personal fouls each.

In the third quarter, Chicago briefly took a lead of 43-41 after triples from Reese and Banham. Atkins contributed significantly with multiple floaters and pull-up jumpers, adding another 7 points. However, by the end of this quarter, they were down again at 54-56.

The fourth quarter saw Chicago leading 64-61 with just over six minutes remaining. A series of empty possessions allowed the Valkyries to execute a decisive 12-0 run through threes and transition layups. A four-minute scoring drought for Chicago ended with free throws from Reese. Atkins then completed a three-point play to bring them within four points.

With less than a minute left on the clock, Reese fouled Kayla Thornton as time expired on the shot clock, widening Golden State's lead to five points.

Tiffany Hayes and Kaitlyn Chen's free throws helped secure victory for Golden State despite Chicago's competitive performance through strong three-point shooting—making 13 out of their attempted 33 shots (39.4%).

Reese managed to score an impressive double-double in terms of statistics: putting up15 points alongside grabbing11 rebounds during second-half action; while Atkins finished strongly too by tallying14 more individual contributions which included successful conversion rates standing at exactly half percentage mark across all field goal attempts taken overall today!

Both players proved instrumental even amid defeat: posting final tallies reaching twenty plus seventeen respectively when considering combined total output registered here tonight alone! Meanwhile opposing side member Thornton achieved career high figures herself thanks largely due efforts expended towards securing twenty-nine point haul via fifteen different opportunities seized throughout contest duration altogether!

Following this outcome—their record now stands precariously positioned around disappointing levels hovering near bottom league standings currently reflecting just four wins against eleven losses accrued thus far into current campaign trajectory overall speaking generally about situation facing them moving forward looking ahead next fixture scheduled upcoming road trip stopover destination set Los Angeles Sparks venue specifically where they’ll hope regain momentum needed get back track winning ways once again soon enough hopefully sooner rather later ideally preferred outcome desired course events transpire favorably indeed!