The Chicago Sky beat the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night in the first WNBA meeting between first-round picks Angel Reese and Cameron Brink.
Both Reese and Brink turned heads with their eye-catching outfits as they entered the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
But both players made only a limited impact on Thursday’s game, when the Sky triumphed 83-73 to move to 3-3 for the season – and secure a first home win of the season.
Brink played only 23 minutes, in which time the No 2 overall pick amassed seven points, six rebounds and two assists.
Reese – who was selected with the seventh pick by the Sky – sat for large periods as well, racking up six points, six rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.
Angel Reese and Cameron Brink collided on Thursday night in a meeting of WNBA rookies
Reese, the No 7 draft pick, helped the Sky beat the LA Sparks in the rookies’ first showdown
The damage was done elsewhere as Marina Mabrey scored 20 points and tied a career high with six 3-pointers, while Elizabeth Williams had 17 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for Chicago.
Mabrey gave Chicago a 21-point lead with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter. Los Angeles battled back, closing on a 20-8 run to get within 67-58 entering the fourth.
The Sky committed 10 fouls in the third quarter, turned it over six times and allowed 27 points.
Los Angeles was within 78-69 with 2:16 left after Rickea Jackson completed a three-point play, but rookie Reese made a shot in the lane on back-to-back possessions to extend Chicago’s lead to 82-69.
Reese amassed six points, six rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes on Thursday night
Brink played only 23 minutes, in which time she had seven points, six rebounds and two assists
Los Angeles was slowed by 18 turnovers.
Dana Evans had four of the Sky’s 13 steals and added 15 points. Chennedy Carter scored 14 points for Chicago (3-3). Reese picked up her fifth foul with 8:22 left in the fourth and finished with six points and six rebounds in 25 minutes.
Dearica Hamby had 24 points and 13 rebounds, and Kia Nurse added 17 points for Los Angeles (2-5). Jackson finished with 10 points.
Evans scored 11 points in the first half and Carter added 10 to help Chicago build a 49-31 lead. The Sky shot 51% from the field in the first half and led by as many as 20 points.
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