CHICAGO — Kamilia Cardoso delivered a dominant performance with a career-high 27 points, and Angel Reese posted another impressive double-double as the Chicago Sky pulled away late to defeat the Los Angeles Sparks 97-86 on Tuesday night.
Reese finished the night with 18 points and 17 rebounds, while Ariel Atkins added 13 points to help lift the Sky (4-10) to their fourth win of the season. Chicago used a 30-17 surge in the final quarter to complete the comeback after trailing for most of the game.
Cardoso gave the Sky their first lead at 74-72 with a driving layup early in the fourth quarter, then quickly extended it with a mid-range jumper and a free throw, sparking a run that put the game out of reach. The 6-foot-7 center dominated the paint down the stretch before heading off to join Brazil’s national team for an upcoming tournament in Chile.
Chicago also announced that veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot successfully underwent ACL surgery on her right knee.
For the Sparks (4-11), Azura Stevens scored 21 points and Kelsey Plum added 20, but Los Angeles couldn’t hold on after a fast start. Dearica Hamby chipped in 15 points and Rickea Jackson had 11 as the Sparks dropped their fourth straight.
Los Angeles opened the game hot, racing to a 10-2 lead in under 90 seconds and finishing the first quarter up 27-17. They led by as many as 12 in the second quarter before the Sky trimmed the deficit to 48-42 at halftime. The teams traded momentum in the third, with Rebecca Allen tying the game twice in the final minutes. Plum’s late bucket gave the Sparks a 69-67 edge heading into the fourth — but Chicago dominated from there.
The Sky’s late-game resilience, led by Cardoso and Reese, proved too much for the Sparks to overcome.
