Sky settles for jump shots, then loss to Liberty

The spoken word really wasn't needed.

All Chicago Sky coach Steven Key needed to do at his postgame news conference Friday night was hold up the stat sheet he was looking at with disgust.

Before he had even arrived to talk with reporters, perhaps during his debriefing with his team, Key had written on the sheet in big block letters "WE SETTLED."

Key meant that his team settled for jump shots against the New York Liberty instead of aggressively attacking the basket.

And so for now, after a 79-71 loss to the Liberty at Allstate Arena that involved yet another giveaway of a second-half lead, the Sky will be settling again - back into sole possession of last place in the Eastern Conference.

The Sky drops to 11-12. Meanwhile, the Liberty improves to 11-10 after its 4-0 series sweep of the Sky.

"Coach told us that we settled," said Sky forward Tamera Young, who shot 2-for-9 from the field. "Not only did we settle for jump shots, we settled for shooting on the first pass, we settled for not moving the ball around.

"I don't know what it is (about New York). It seems like we come out with the same mind-set that we do for any other team, but for some reason, we just fall short on our assignments with them."

The Sky did manage a passing grade on the toughest assignment of the night: slowing Chicago native Cappie Pondexter, one of the best players in the WNBA. After two 30-point games against the Sky earlier this season, Pondexter had just 16 points on 4-of-10 shooting this time around.

But the Liberty got 18 points out of gritty forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin and gave an inspired defensive effort in the second half that made the difference.

After a 25-point second quarter that paved the way to a 7-point halftime lead, the Sky scored just 27 points in the entire second half.

"We had a mental breakdown," said Sky center Sylvia Fowles, who scored 12 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. "In the second half, we weren't doing the things we were doing in the first half that got us the lead. We were getting to the rim in the first half. In the second half, we weren't doing that. We weren't being patient and we were throwing up all kinds of stuff.

"It's mind-boggling that we keep losing to (New York), but we've got to put this behind us because we've got a game (today in San Antonio). I'm sure this team has what it takes to bounce back. We'll show what we're made of."

The Sky also got a team-high 14 points from rookie guard Epiphanny Prince off the bench as well as 13 points from guard Dominique Canty and 12 points from guard Jia Perkins.