Sky-Fever Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jun 03 2011 12:17PM

The Chicago Sky haven't made a playoff appearance since joining the WNBA in 2006.

That hasn't stopped All-Star center Sylvia Fowles from thinking big as the new season gets underway.

With a rookie point guard and a new coach, the Sky face the Indiana Fever as the teams open their seasons Saturday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.

After finishing 14-20 in 2010 - their fifth consecutive losing campaign - the Sky made some major changes during the offseason in hopes of turning things around.

Former general manager and coach Steven Key was replaced by Pokey Chatman on the sidelines while point guard Courtney Vandersloot was selected third overall in the draft, giving Chicago another legitimate scoring threat behind Fowles.

"I'm very excited for this season," Fowles told the Sky's official website. "There have been a lot of changes but I think they all helped improve the team.

"I'm looking at the playoffs. That's where we want to be. This year, with Vandersloot at the point... we'll have a lot of weapons."

Fowles, last season's All-Star game MVP, finished sixth in the league in scoring (17.8 points per game), third in rebounds (9.9) and first in blocks (2.6).

Former All-Star forward Shameka Christon was limited to 10 games last year - her first with Chicago - due to a broken orbital bone, and she'll be sidelined for up to eight weeks this season after injuring her right knee in training camp.

"It is unfortunate that we won't have Shameka to start the season," Chatman said. "We will assist her in her recovery in any way we can. In the meantime, I am confident that our team will continue to prepare and work hard so we are ready."

The Fever, meanwhile, also feature a revamped roster but will again lean on four-time defensive player of the year Tamika Catchings to lead them back to the postseason.

After losing to Phoenix in the 2009 WNBA finals, Indiana was knocked out by New York in the first round of last year's playoffs and saw two of its starters leave via free agency.

Recently signed Tangela Smith fills the void at power forward while Briann January is expected to run the show at point guard.

"This is (January's) third year (in the WNBA)," coach Lin Dunn told the Fever's official website, "and I really think she has adjusted to the pace of the game. Instead of going faster, she is learning to slow down and make better decisions."

Catchings, who averaged team bests of 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals in 2010, is pleased with the way the club has gelled despite Indiana's 0-2 record in the preseason.

"We all get along really well and so the chemistry is definitely there," Catchings said. "On the court, the chemistry is there, too.

"Anytime you have a situation where you have so many new faces and you're trying to fit everybody in, it does become a little bit harder but I think that over time, we'll be able to get that chemistry flowing and move the ball and get comfortable."

Indiana, which went 5-0 against the Sky last season, has taken eight straight and nine of 10 all-time in the series at home.

Douglas leads Fever past Sky in season opener

Posted Jun 04 2011 9:26PM

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Katie Douglas scored 19 points with seven rebounds, Tamika Catchings had 15 points and nine boards and the Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky 65-57 on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.

Tangela Smith scored 16 points for the Fever, who beat the Sky for the sixth straight time. Smith hit was 4 of 7 from behind the arc, one shy of her career high for 3s in a game.

Epiphanny Prince scored 20 points and Sylvia Fowles added 10 points and seven rebounds for Chicago, which fell behind 10-1 at the start of the game and never led.

The Sky cut the deficit to four by the end of the half, but Indiana jumped to a 10-point lead with a 9-2 run to start the third quarter.

• Sky: --
• Fever: --

• Sky: --
• Fever: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Officials: #8 Daryl Humphrey, #45 Tom Mauer, #35 Billy Smith
• Attendance: 8024
• Duration: 1:50