Liberty-Sky Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Aug 27 2011 3:41PM

The last time the New York Liberty faced the Chicago Sky, a record-setting defensive performance was the difference.

These Eastern Conference rivals play a home-and-home set in the next three days, beginning Sunday night at Allstate Arena.

New York (16-12) holds a 2-1 lead in the season series, with the home team winning each matchup. The Liberty's 59-49 win Aug. 4 was notable because Chicago (13-15) managed one point in the fourth quarter to set a WNBA record for futility.

The Sky may use a different backcourt than what the Liberty have seen previously. Chicago coach Pokey Chatman debuted the new look there Friday, with former Liberty player Erin Thorn and veteran Dominique Canty starting in place of Epiphanny Prince and rookie Courtney Vandersloot for an 80-67 victory over Washington.

"It's several things," Chatman said. "I thought, conservatively, Dominique's playing well, I thought Erin's done some good things. I think the opponent plays into it. I think it alleviates some pressure with Sloot or with Piph."

Prince is the team's second-leading scorer at 14.4 points per game. She came off the bench for the first time and had 18 points after averaging 9.0 over her previous seven contests.

"I am always ready," Prince said. "I need to stay prepared when my number is called and I always want to try and stay focused."

Prince is averaging 11.3 points and woeful 27.9 percent shooting against New York this season.

She has been outshined in those games by former Rutgers teammate Cappie Pondexter. Pondexter, a Chicago native, is averaging 17.7 points in the season series.

She scored 17 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday to lead the Liberty to a 74-70 road win over Phoenix, her former team.

"You have to give credit where credit is due," Mercury coach Corey Gaines said. "That's what Cappie does; she is a finisher. That's what she always did for us."

Pondexter's teams are 14-1 all-time against Chicago.

The Liberty have won three of four and can clinch the tiebreaker over the Sky by taking one of the next two games.

The Sky are trying to reach the playoffs for the first time as they seek to catch the third-place Liberty or fourth-place Atlanta.

"We just need to lock down and be focused," said center Sylvia Fowles, who has a WNBA-high 19 double-doubles. "When we focus we play good as a team and everybody does there part so if we can do that the next couple of games I think we'll be alright."

Prince's late 3-pointer lifts Sky past Liberty

Posted Aug 28 2011 10:59PM

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) Epiphanny Prince hit a 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining to give the Chicago Sky a 74-73 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday.

Sylvia Fowles and Erin Thorn scored 17 points each to lead the Sky (14-15), and Prince finished with 10 points. Chicago moved 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Plenette Pierson scored 19 points, Nicole Powell had 15 and Cappie Pondexter 14 for the Liberty (16-13). Kia Vaughn added 12 points. New York, two games behind second-place Connecticut in the East, had its lead over Atlanta cut to one-half game.

After opening a 70-60 lead, the Sky went scoreless for 5:34 as the Liberty scored 11 consecutive points to take a 71-70 lead on Essence Carson's reverse layup. Tamera Young's free throw tied the score and Pondexter hit a jumper with 50 seconds to play to put New York up 73-71.

``The poise went out the window for half of each possession for both teams, which helped us on one and hurt us on the other,'' Sky coach Pokey Chatman said. ``But it boiled down to being in that poison to make stops and challenge some shots and get some rebounds and we got the win and I'll take it.''

After Prince put the Sky ahead, Pondexter missed a 3 with 1 second left.

``We tried to get the ball out of Cappie's hands the last few possessions and we wanted to make someone else beat us,'' Thorn said. ``Luckily, she missed her last shot.''

Powell said: ``We didn't make any of the big plays down the stretch when we needed it.''

Vaughn's buzzer-beating jumper gave the Liberty a 60-58 lead after three quarters.

Thorn scored 10 points - including two 3s - as the Sky opened the fourth with a 12-0 run to take their 10-point lead with 6:09 to go.

Pondexter, held to two points in the first half, broke the 40-all halftime tie with her team's first eight points of the third quarter. The former Chicago high school star had back-to-back 3s as the Liberty opened a 48-42 lead.

``We weren't as efficient defensively in the first quarter,'' Liberty coach John Whisenant said. ``They shot 49 percent against us so that's an indication that are defensive wasn't efficient. They got a lot of points the paint and our defense shouldn't allow that.''

The teams have split four meetings this season, with the home team winning each, and play for the final time on Tuesday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

• Liberty: --
• Sky: --

• Liberty: --
• Sky: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 10

• Arena: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL
• Officials: #42 Roy Gulbeyan, #7 Clarke Stevens, #11 Lauren Holtkamp
• Attendance: 5707
• Duration: 1:49