The Chicago Sky have one of the most important games of the season coming up on Tuesday. Fresh off a 78-66 win over the Connecticut Sun, the Sky have an opportunity to show consistency by beating a 4-7 Washington Mystics team at Wintrust Arena.
At 3-7, everyone on the Sky, from general manager Jeff Pagliocca to head coach Tyler Marsh to players on the roster, knows they underperformed to begin the season.
Following Chicago’s win on Sunday, Angel Reese said she “didn’t understand” the role that Marsh decided for her in training camp. Reese said she’s still figuring that out in mid-June.
Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith has been put in bad situations
Reese doesn’t appear to be the only player who feels that they were underprepared for the season. Rookie point guard Hailey Van Lith said she was put in situations that the TCU standout was not ready to handle.
“I think I’ve had opportunities that I haven’t necessarily been ready for this year,” Van Lith told the media postgame on Sunday after leading the Sky in scoring with 16 points against the Sun. “It’s all a journey. Those times that I wasn’t ready…I watched the film and I learned from it.
“I had people on the team, like Angel, (Courtney Vandersoot), Rachel Banham, who are continually talking to me and telling me that when it comes again, we want you to try again. Never lose that edge.”
Van Lith had to change from being someone who used to create plays with her dribble to creating opportunities for the team via the triple catch threat.
HVL wanted more minutes
The Sky have also put Van Lith in a hard situation this year, giving the No. 11 pick limited minutes at point guard until Sunday, when she played 24 minutes against Connecticut.
“Sometimes you just have that feeling,” Van Lith said. “I’ve been in a good flow state this week. I figured if I came out and played well, (Marsh) might give me some more minutes.”
Clearly, Van Lith thinks she’s ready for opportunities on the court, but she’s concerned about what she’s being asked to do, and how many minutes she’s being asked to do it in. It’s been hard for her to get in rhythm playing 4-10 minutes a game.
Marsh didn’t have the Sky ready to play in the early season. It was known the team needed time to jell in a new system, but the process hasn’t been as smooth as anyone would like.
Now, the Sky must consistently play like they have against the league’s worst two teams, or a bigger problem could be coming for Marsh.
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‘Unacceptable’: Angel Reese sounds off after Chicago Sky’s loss; leads WNBA in turnovers
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