Sky-Sun Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jun 18 2011 1:20PM

After finishing last season as the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun are both looking like contenders in 2011.

In a battle for first place, the Sky seek a fourth consecutive victory as the Sun try to stay perfect at home and avenge their only loss of the season Sunday.

Chicago (3-1) finished last in the East in 2010 with a 14-20 record - its fifth losing campaign in as many seasons of existence - but could be on its way to turning things around.

The Sky, who dropped their season opener 65-57 at Indiana with Courtney Vandersloot coming off the bench, have won three straight since the third overall selection in this year's draft was inserted into the starting lineup.

"Courtney's vision and her poise are great," Sky coach Pokey Chatman said after the point guard scored a season-best 18 points during a 78-75 win over the Sun (3-1) on June 10.

While Vandersloot had just six points with five assists in Friday's 85-73 victory over New York, Sylvia Fowles posted perhaps her best performance of the year, scoring a season-best 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The two-time All-Star leads the WNBA with 20.8 points per contest.

The Sky, though, will likely need to slow down the Sun's two stars again if they hope to match their longest winning streak of last season.

Connecticut went 17-17 in 2010 and finished fifth in the East, but it hasn't looked like a .500 team as Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles continue to shine.

Montgomery and Charles, averaging 18.8 and 17.8 points, respectively, came up big during Thursday's 79-71 victory at Washington. Montgomery scored a season-high 23 points and Charles had season bests of 26 points and 10 rebounds.

"She looked really fresh when everybody else was tired late in the game," coach Mike Thibault said of Charles, who finished one point shy of her career high. "I thought she was still playing at a very high level energy-wise."

It was a different story for the high-scoring duo during the Sun's lone defeat earlier this month. Montgomery scored 22 points but went just 6 of 15 from the field and Charles was held to season lows of eight points and four boards.

Charles did have five blocks, but Fowles dominated the interior battle with 23 points and 13 rebounds, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Connecticut has outscored opponents by an average of 13.5 points during its two home victories. It had taken five straight from Chicago at Mohegan Sun Arena before the Sky won their most recent visit 86-77 on June 22 last year.

Fowles is averaging just 12.0 points in four career games there.

Charles scores 31 points, Sun beat Sky 83-68

Posted Jun 19 2011 3:56PM

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Tina Charles scored a season-low eight points against the Chicago Sky in the Connecticut Sun's only loss of the season.

Ten days later, she had a career high against the Sky on Sunday.

Charles scored 31 points as the Sun (4-1) assumed sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with an 83-68 victory over Chicago. Connecticut leads Chicago (3-2) by a game.

Charles scored 11 in the final quarter.

``Every game I need to go out and take it more personal,'' Charles said.

Charles also had 11 rebounds.

``You could tell early in the game that Tina was aggressive about presenting herself to her teammates,'' Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. ``Our players did a good job getting her the ball where she could score.''

Charles' 31 points came against Chicago center Sylvia Fowles. Charles and Fowles may be the two centers on the U.S. Olympic team next summer in London.

``They push each other and make each other better,'' Thibault said.

Fowles had 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Kara Lawson scored 13 points and Asjha Jones added 12 for Connecticut, which has won three straight.

Lawson made a pair of 3-pointers off the bench in the first half. The Sun led by three after one period and by 15 at halftime.

The Sky never got closer than eight in the final quarter.

``We didn't show some discipline on defense,'' Chicago coach Pokey Chatman said. ``You can't do that against anyone in this league, let alone a well-coached team.''

Epiphanny Prince had 18 points and Cathrine Kraayeveld added 13 for the Sky.

The teams meet again in Chicago on Thursday.

• Sky: --
• Sun: --

• Sky: --
• Sun: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
• Officials: #42 Roy Gulbeyan, #44 Felicia Grinter, #25 Marcus Clayton
• Attendance: 6875
• Duration: 1:52