Chicago Sky notebook
When the Chicago Sky and the Seattle Storm meet again for their WNBA season opener May 17, the starting lineups should look a lot different than they did for Wednesday's preseason contest at the UIC Pavilion.
The Sky won Wednesday's game easily as Quianna Chaney scored a game-high 11 points in the 66-46 exhibition victory. Brooke Queenan added 10 points for the Sky, which led 27-25 at the half. Former Chicago Carver prep star Yolanda Griffith led the Storm with 9 points.
The two teams will play again in Seattle on May 17, but several key players on both teams missed Wednesday's game due to overseas commitments. Sky players who were not at the game: Dominique Canty, Candice Dupree, Cathy Joens, Bernadette Ngoyisa and Jia Perkins. The Storm played without ere Sue Bird, Janell Burse, Roneeka Hodges, Lauren Jackson, Doneeka Lewis, Kelly Santos and Tanisha Wright.
In the crowd: Attendance at Wednesday's preseason game was 1,521, and among the fans was Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas, who can to watch his fellow LSU Tiger alums, rookies Sylvia Fowles and Quianna Chaney.
Easy does it: Sylvia Fowles, made her professional debut for the Sky with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter. The former all-American and National Defensive Player of the Year played just under 11 minutes as Sky head coach Steven Key limited her action since she just returned from her trip with USA Basketball to China. Fowles scored 6 points and had 6 rebounds.
Long-distance touch: The Sky had a big night from three-point range, connecting on 8-of-17 for 47 percent shooting. The team shot 46.2 percent from the field.
Homecoming game: Veteran Yolanda Griffith, the long-time Sacramento Monarch forward who played at Chicago's Carver High School, made her debut in a Storm uniform. She was the Storm's leading scorer, with 9 points and 2 rebounds in nearly 14 minutes of play.
Veteran Sheryl Swoopes played for 18:38 minutes in her debut with the Storm, scoring 3 points and grabbing 2 rebounds.
Next game: The Sky takes on the Indiana Fever at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Coach Key's quotes: Here is what the Sky's head coach had to say after Wednesday's game:
"With an exhibition game, you get to gauge where you are after a week's worth of practice and get a chance to play against someone else for a change. I felt we shared the ball really well with 22 assists in the game and I felt we defended really well. Our players were in the right spot at the right time and we had good spacing. We're headed in the right direction."
On who stood out:
"Chasity Melvin really stood out. She is in great shape and is ready to go. The battle against Sylvia every day in practice will make them both better will make the whole team better."
"Quianna also did a great job of coming in and knocking down some big shots. She doesn't hesitate. I was pleasantly surprised to see her play the way she did at this level."