Vandersloot steals the show in 114-99 win vs. Wings

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Vandersloot becomes 7th player to record triple-double in win vs. Wings

“We wanted to fight fire with fire.”

That was the message head coach Amber Stocks had in mind going into the Chicago Sky’s contest versus the Dallas Wings. It most certainly got through to her players.

After a long skid that stunted its playoff hopes, the Sky (8-16) upset Liz Cambage and the Wings (14-10) 114-99.

Chicago got help from everyone as five players scored in double-figures. Alex Quigley scored 21 points with four threes made, Kahleah Cooper had 23 points off of the bench and Diamond Deshields had 17 points to go along with a career-high eight assists.

However, it was Courtney Vandersloot who stole the show. The veteran recorded her first triple-double of her career when she ripped down an offensive rebound late in the fourth quarter.

She became the seventh WNBA player ever to record a triple-double. She finished the game with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high 15 assists. Vandersloot was one assist away from tying the WNBA record set by Ticha Penicheiro.

After all this team has been through this season, the Sky can feel like it can breathe a little easier now.

“I just want to commend our team and how hard they have fought to stay together,” head coach Amber Stocks said after the game. “The fight and the work has been ongoing and this is a great win for a team that has been working so hard for it.”

Outside of the offensive output, they displayed tonight, Chicago found a way to limit Dallas star Liz Cambage to ten shots. The night before Dallas came into town, Cambage set the WNBA record for most points scored during a two-game stretch. In the game before that, she set another WNBA record for most points scored in a game with 53 points.

Needless to say, the Sky needed to throw everything it had at the Wings’ dominant center.

“We have the depth and the defenders to handle such an ominous presence that [Cambage] is,” said Stocks.

“Stephanie Dolson did a great job on her defensive assignment…Alaina Coates, Gabby [Williams], Astou [Ndour], and Cheyanne Parker all worked hard together. The guards were able to lock down the perimeter and the post players could concentrate on the inside and it was a great team effort.”

Throughout the night, the Sky swarmed Cambage by double and triple teaming the center. That forced Cambage to toss the ball back out to the perimeter which proved to be detrimental to Dallas. The Wings shot a meager 25.6 percent from beyond the arc. By contrast, the Sky who splashed 12 threes on 25 attempts.

Click here for the full box score.

The Sky end its homestand against the Sparks on July 22^nd before heading on the road. Chicago is currently four games behind the Sun for the final spot in the playoffs.