Sky-Shock Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jul 27 2011 2:09PM

League scoring leader Sylvia Fowles struggled to get into a rhythm during the Chicago Sky's return from the All-Star break. A matchup with the league's worst team might help her get back into a groove.

Fowles will try to help the Sky avoid a third straight defeat and hand the Tulsa Shock their 11th in a row Thursday night.

Fowles is averaging 20.3 points but was held to six in the first 34 minutes Tuesday against Connecticut. A late spurt helped her finish with 14 points and 12 rebounds in a 77-66 defeat.

"I think it was a little bit of our inability to get into some of the offensive sets that we had to get into," coach Pokey Chatman said.

The 6-foot-4 Tina Charles played a large role in limiting her 6-6 All-Star counterpart, who had scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games for Chicago (8-10).

Fowles now has to face another All-Star center, 6-8 rookie Liz Cambage, but the Sky star had 21 points and 13 rebounds during a 72-54 victory over the Shock on July 13.

Cambage was limited by four fouls in the first 5:07 of that game, though Fowles did score 11 points during the 20 minutes she played. Cambage, averaging 13.8 points, was held to a season-low five points on 2-of-10 shooting.

She had a team-best 16 points and Tiffany Jackson grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds Tuesday against Atlanta, but Tulsa's comeback attempt fell short in a 76-68 defeat.

After falling behind by 19 points in the third quarter, the Shock (1-15) cut the deficit to three as Cambage scored eight during a 15-1 run in the final period.

Sheryl Swoopes added 12 points and Jackson had 11 while posting her third straight double-double.

"I wanted us to attack from the start," said Teresa Edwards, whose team is 0-5 since she took over the coaching duties from Nolan Richardson. "I wanted us to go inside-out to give us the high-percentage opportunity. If it's not there, kick it out. We still have a tendency to get away from our offense. We're learning."

Edwards' team ranks last in the league with 69.8 points per game and 38.6 percent shooting. The Shock also are allowing opponents to shoot a league-high 49.2 percent and average 84.7 points.

Tulsa's 10-game losing streak is three shy of the franchise record and its worst since dropping 12 in a row during last season's 6-28 campaign.

That skid began with a loss at Chicago, but the Shock ended the season with an 84-71 home victory over the Sky as Jackson scored 17 points.

Sky 64, Shock 55

Posted Jul 29 2011 12:23PM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - For a year, Sylvia Fowles played big sister and mentor to Abi Olajuwon.

They faced off again Thursday night, with Fowles and the Chicago Sky staving off a late surge to hand the Tulsa Shock their 11th straight loss with a 64-55 victory.

``It's always fun going against Abi,'' Fowles said. ``She's going to make you work for everything you get. Abi and I used to go at it pretty good, only because I want the best for her. I felt like she always got pampered and wanted things easy, so I would play the sister from hell, making her life a little miserable.

``She's growing. You can see parts of her game getting better. She soaks up everything you tell her.''

After Olajuwon had three years of being knocked around by Oklahoma teammate Courtney Paris in practice, it was Fowles' turn to school the former Sooner in Olajuwon's rookie season in 2010.

Fowles joked, ``Courtney's just big. I've got talent. Believe it or not, Abi used to push me around a lot in practice. I would get mad. She made me work and that always makes you better as a big girl.''

Their friendship actually pre-dates Olajuwon's college days.

``She's been my big sister and mentor since high school,'' Olajuwon said. ``It's an honor to have the opportunity to learn from one of the best post players in the country.

``It's definitely different than going against Courtney. It was a great experience and I know she's always going to go hard on me.''

Fowles finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, including a layup in traffic at the 1:40 mark that ended the Shock's comeback bid.

Tulsa (1-16) trailed by five at halftime but rallied with an 11-1 run in the third quarter to take a 48-46 lead in the final minute of the period. But the Shock fell apart in the fourth, scoring just seven points.

Tiffany Jackson had 15 rebounds, including eight offensive boards.

Tulsa guard Ivory Latta scored 20 points in just her second game back since battling a staph infection.

Chicago coach Pokey Chatman praised the play of rookie Courtney Vandersloot, who finished with 12 points and no turnovers.

``That was probably her best game of late, well maybe her best game overall,'' Chatman said. ``All I know is she had no turnovers and that's big. She didn't get the chance to be indoctrined the league. We've had to throw her out there with all her injuries.''

Chatman said the win was big because of the team's struggles on the road, picking up just their second road win of the season.

``We've struggled on the road this year,'' she said. ``We've had too many turnovers this year. Tonight, we did a better job of taking care of the ball.

``It wasn't a pretty game. Everyone was playing hard. It became ugly but when it got down to it we took care of business.''

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant sat courtside, saying he was ``about 50-50'' on playing overseas if the NBA lockout lasted by may have to think about it.

• Sky: --
• Shock: --

• Sky: --
• Shock: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
• Officials: #55 Eric Brewton, #7 Clarke Stevens, #31 Amy Bonner
• Attendance: 4012
• Duration: 1:55