Fowles powers Sky past Mystics 89-85
Injury? What injury?
Just 12 days ago in a game against Los Angeles, Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles was sprawled across the Allstate Arena floor, in agony and unable to get to the bench on her own.
But the 6-foot-5 resilient veteran is making her nasty right-ankle sprain seem like a distant memory.
After missing a game against Seattle last week as a precaution, Fowles looked solid Sunday against New York in her return. And Wednesday afternoon against the visiting Washington Mystics, she looked spectacular.
Fowles pumped in a season-high 26 points and also pulled down 18 big rebounds to lead the Sky to an 89-85 victory over the Mystics in front of a franchise record 14,201 on “Camp Day.”
The Sky, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, is 9-4 on the season and 6-1 at home. Washington dropped to 6-7.
“I haven’t really been doing much to keep in shape, honestly,” Fowles said of her ability to barely miss a beat. “But my trainer has been doing a good job making sure I get sleep, making sure I get the proper nutrients, and when I need to rest, I rest.”
Fowles didn’t take any time off while she was on the floor.
In addition to rolling up the points and rebounds, 10 of which came on the offensive end, Fowles was a force on defense, finishing with 3 blocks. She is one of the top shot-blockers in WNBA history.
“She was huge, she was a beast, and she was in beast mode,” Sky coach Pokey Chatman said of Fowles, who has 6 double-doubles on the season. “She was getting her ankle rehabbed the other day and she had this green toenail polish on, and I said, ‘Does that mean you are going to be the hulk?’
“And I joked about it because she has really done an impeccable job of getting herself back to play. She has been rehabbing two to three times a day in the swimming pool, just hours on top of hours just to have an opportunity to be ready. She was an animal.”
The Sky, which was up by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, got double figures from three other players, including 15 points from guard Epiphanny Prince. Her jumper with 38.3 seconds left broke up a tie and put the Sky up for good.
Rookie forward Elena Delle Donne had 18 points, including 2 free throws in the final seconds to seal with win, but she struggled from the field (5-for-19).
“I never feel like she is struggling,” Chatman said of Delle Donne, who is leading all WNBA players in all-star votes. “When her body language is good and when she is on the floor, we can still play off her.
“And she’s a 90 percent free-throw shooter. I know (she) has the confidence and courage to take the next (shot).”
Forward Swin Cash added 13 points for the Sky, which has won five of the last six games. Forward Crystal Langhorne led Washington with 18 points, while guard Ivory Latta chipped in with 17.
pbabacock@dailyherald.com