Teresa Weatherspoon, the Chicago Sky head coach, was impressed with her rookie Angel Reese’s performance against superstar A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday. [photo: Weatherspoon IG, Aces IG]
Angel Reese had another solid outing for the Chicago Sky but could not stop A’ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces from winning the game 95-83. Reese put up an 18-point, 11-rebound night that fell short against Wilson’s stat-stuffing display on Thursday. The reigning WNBA Finals MVP finished with 31 points on 10-for-19 shooting to go with six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.
Chicago’s loss ended its two-game-winning run that included a highly entertaining 88-87 come-from-behind-win versus the Indiana Fever. The Sky could not replicate the same type of victory against the veteran Aces who ably supported Wilson’s impressive display.
After the game, Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon had this to say about Angel Reese’s performance against A’ja Wilson:
“She’s [Reese] fine. She’s played against some incredibly talented post players in this league, veterans who understand the game really well, are savvy, super smart, super intelligent.
“She’s about the challenge, and it’s only going to make her better. She’s willing to guard the best post player she possibly can. It will make her much better down the stretch.”
A’ja Wilson’s dominance was undeniable, particularly in the first quarter where she dropped 15 of her 31 points. She gave Angel Reese fits and scored almost at will. Chicago’s 6-foot-7 rookie Kamilla Cardoso also spent time guarding Wilson but could not consistently stop the two-time MVP.
One sequence late in the first quarter epitomized the tough task Reese had to face against Wilson. The Aces’ franchise cornerstone missed a layup over the rookie before grabbing the offensive rebound and then scoring an and-1. The “Chi Barbie” could only look in amazement and then at the referee after Wilson got the better of her.
Angel Reese did not back down against A’ja Wilson
After A’ja Wilson’s dominant first half, the Chicago Sky kept competing behind Angel Reese. Wilson had a 21-point output after the first 20 minutes but was limited to eight in the second half, including just two in the final period.
Reese did not just show her value on the defensive end in the last 10 minutes of the game. She also had a team-best nine points and three rebounds. The game might have been much closer had Kelsey Plum not caught fire with 16 fourth-quarter points.
In the first meeting between Angel Reese and A’ja Wilson, it was the veteran superstar who won. They will meet three more times in the regular season, showdowns that basketball fans will surely mark in their calendars.
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