Sky closes preseason with 84-71 win over Fever

"Big Syl" was back, and the Chicago Sky got a big win.

Sylvia Fowles was in Chicago for her first game since finishing up obligations with her off-season team in Russia, and her presence was felt quickly. With a team-high 13 points, she led the Sky to an 84-71 preseason victory over the Indiana Fever at Allstate Arena.

Now granted, the Fever was missing four starters who were still overseas themselves, playing for a league championship in Turkey. But the Sky will take a win any way it can over a team that is the defending Eastern Conference champion. Besides that, the Fever already beat the Sky once this preseason.

The loss to the Fever on Friday was the only loss of the preseason for the Sky, which finished its practice games 3-1.

"It felt good being back out there with my Sky team," the 6-foot-6 Fowles said. "I'm excited about the season. I'm loving my teammates. I'm healthy and I can't wait to get things going."

The Sky, which opens the regular season Saturday at Connecticut, also got double figures from veteran guards Jia Perkins (12 points) and Dominique Canty (11 points). Newly acquired forward Shameka Christon scored only 2 points but sat out the second half to rest a sore leg.

The Fever, which was playing without former Stevenson High School star Tamika Catchings, got a team-high 15 points out of Shay Murphy. Former DePaul star Allie Quigley added 10 points.