In the third quarter Sunday, Kahleah Copper and Rhyne Howard took over starring roles.
As they traded field goals, finishing the quarter with 16 points apiece, it became obvious that the game would come down to their duel.
In the end, Howard stole the show. Copper was held scoreless and took only two shots in the fourth quarter, while Howard had seven points in the quarter as the Sky fell 88-77, their second straight loss to the Dream.
“We couldn’t find her,” Sky coach/general manager Emre Vatansever said.
Copper started the quarter on the bench, but Howard never left the floor.
When Copper checked in at the 8:45 mark, she walked straight to guard Dana Evans. They exchanged a look and a high-five that signaled they were ready to take over.
Instead, Vatansever opted to sub Evans out a minute later in favor of Marina Mabrey.
Mabrey tied her lowest-scoring output of the season with only five points to go with five assists and two rebounds.
“That’s our starting lineup,” Vatansever said, “the group of players that are more efficient. So it was my choice to go with that.”
A 20-6 run by the Sky in the third quarter erased their 12-point deficit and put them up by two with three minutes to play in the quarter. They went into the fourth trailing by one.
It was the second consecutive game that the Sky allowed a close one to get away from them in the fourth. In their game against the Dream on Friday, they also trailed by one heading into the fourth quarter.
Once again, late errors allowed the Dream to go on a run that completely sapped the Sky’s energy. The Sky allowed 13 points off 10 turnovers, but four of those turnovers came in the fourth quarter.
“It was not ideal timing,” forward Morgan Bertsch said. “Sometimes that happens in late-game situations. It was just far from ideal.”
It’s apparent the Sky are unable to recalibrate in challenging late-game scenarios. After every mistake, heads hung lower and lower.
“We didn’t get those 50/50 balls,” Vatansever said. “Those 50/50 balls convert to [points]. It also makes you doubt. Your shoulders go down.
“We talk about the next play. Don’t get discouraged by those situations.”
Copper was only one point away from her career high of 29 points heading into the fourth quarter. She finished with 28 points, two rebounds and one assist.
Courtney Williams added 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Elizabeth Williams scored 13 points to go with her nine rebounds and five assists.
Led by Cheyenne Parker, the Dream outrebounded the Sky 42-30 and outscored them 44-32 in the paint.
Howard finished with a game-high 32 points, and Parker had her second consecutive double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
NOTE: Alanna Smith went down in the third quarter after taking a shot to her eye and did not return. Vatansever said after the game that she was still being evaluated.
