WASHINGTON (AP) — Sylvia Fowles scored 23 points and Cathrine Kraayeveld added 19 points with a career-high six 3-pointers as the Chicago Sky held on for a 84-77 win over the Washington Mystics on Saturday night.
Epiphanny Prince scored 20 points for the Sky
(2-1), who shot 60 percent from the field, led 51-33 at halftime and never
trailed.
"Our execution was great, we didn't settle for
shots," said Kraayeveld, who was 6 of 7, all from beyond the arc. "We
really made the extra pass and we were really aggressive."
In their home opener, the Mystics (1-2) closed the
gap to 66-57 after three quarters and to pulled within 75-72 on a Marissa
Coleman jumper with 3:18 remaining, but would get no closer.
Sky rookie Courtney Vandersloot followed with a
3-pointer and Chicago made 6-of-8 free throws over the final 1:52 to seal the
win.
Last season the Sky finished last in the Eastern Conference,
eight games behind the first place Mystics, but have opened the 2011 campaign
strong under first-year coach and general manager Pokey Chatman.
"The group of girls that we have and the
respect that they have for the head coach," said Fowles, as to the reason
for the Sky's improved play to the season. "Everybody is hungry and they
just want to go out there and listen and do exactly what she has to say."
Matee Ajavon scored 24 points to lead the Mystics,
who hung their Eastern Conference regular season title in the Verizon Center
rafters before the game. Coleman scored all 13 of her points in the second
half, but the Mystics were unable to complete the rally.
"It's frustrating for any defense when the
other team can't miss," Ajavon said. "We just have to make it a
little tougher for them. I think we did that, but it wasn't enough."
The Sky finished each quarter shooting 60 percent
or better from the field and tallied 22 assists.
"We had good floor spacing," Chatman
said. "When they didn't come with a double team at (Fowles), she got to
work. If they came with a double team, we threw opposite and made extra passes.
Cat Kraayeveld seemed to be on the end of that."
In the first half, Fowles scored 14 points while
Kraayeveld and Prince each added 12, knocking down a combined 6-of-7 from
beyond the arc. Chicago had 14 assists on its 18 first half made baskets.
"We got off to a good start and that got us
off to a good tone on the court," said Fowles, who shot 8 of 12 from the
field and 7 of 8 from the free throw line.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
(AP
Photo/Paul Beaty)
