What’s New

Looking for something to do with your family? Check out our highlights of current events and activities for kids.

Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago for kids and families to enjoy. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.

Field Museum

Hugo van Lawick/National Geographic

What: Generations have been inspired by the work of primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall who has not only shown the urgent need to protect chimpanzees but also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environments. A new exhibit at the Field Museu, “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall,” follows her journey from a curious young child in England to a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Included in the exhibit are a recreation of her field research tent, a hologram-like projection of Goodall who shares her fieldwork memories, augmented reality activities and a projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park.

When: To Sept. 6

Where: Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.

Tickets: $18-$32. Visit fieldmuseum.org.

Old Town Art Fair

Courtesy Old Town Art Fair

When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 12 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 13

Where: Around the Old Town Triangle Association building, 1763 N. North Park

What: The fair returns with hundreds of artists displaying their creations including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, digital art, prints, photography and mixed media. Live music is provided by, among others, Donna Herula Trio, Soulbillys and Zydeco Voodoo. There’s also a garden walk courtesy of Old Town residents, which features more than 50 quaint green spaces; a children’s area offers a chance for the younger set to get creative with face painting, music and arts and crafts. Pre-registration required. Admission: $12 donation.

More information: oldtownartfair.org

‘Hello Helios: The warming suns of Chicago’s Greektown’

Courtesy Greektown Chicago

When: Through spring 2022

Where: Halsted from Monroe to Van Buren

What: Welcome summer with a new outdoor exhibit celebrating the start of summer with 24 artworks inspired by the sun and related mythologies from Greek, Aztec, Yoruba, Japanese and Native American cultures.

More information: greektownchicago.org

Kayak for Conservation

Shedd Aquarium

When: Ongoing

Where: Kayak Chicago: 1220 W LeMoyne,

What: Get close to nature via the Shedd Aquarium’s popular Kayak for Conservation program, which features a variety of socially distant kayaking experiences on the Chicago River. Participants learn about the river’s environmental history and discover wildlife living in its ecosystem. Sessions are open to all levels of kayakers (including newbies) and are led by Shedd’s wildlife conservation experts. The cost is pay-what-you-can ranging from $20–$100 per participant, with a recommended $40, the base cost of the program.

More information: sheddaquarium.org/kayak

‘Make/Believe’

Ghostlight Ensemble

When: On demand to July 4

Where: Online

What: Ghostlight Theatre’s annual festival for young audiences takes place virtually this year. Featured are six new short plays that run the gamut from “Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things,” about a child with no memory lost at sea, to “It’s Poppin’,” about a balloon afraid of soaring through the clouds, to “Splash of Magic,” about a girl trying to conquer her fear of swimming. Tickets: $1-$10.

More information: ghostlightensemble.com

‘Hansel & Gretel’ in the Park

Lyric Opera

When: Through June 18

Where: North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski

What: The Lyric Opera, Chicago Park District and the Greater Chicago Food Depository team up to present free, live performances of Engelbert Humperdinck’s 1893 opera based on the fairy tale. This is a new production conceived and directed by Matthew Ozawa and sung in English.

More information: lyricopera.org/hanselandgretel

‘Take Flight’

Museum of Science and Industry

When: Permanent

Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.

What: The MSI’s Boeing 747 reopens with a reimagined exhibit that explores modern aviation and the science of flight. The plane’s interior has been restored and new interactive elements have been added. Tickets: $12.95, $21.95.

More information: msichicago.org

Read More

Former Chicago Bulls point guard, Derrick Rose, will be a free agent in this summer’s 2021 free agency class, but the Bulls probably will not make a run at him to fill the position. There’s no question about it — the Chicago Bulls need a point guard.  Last season, the Bulls tried sophomore Coby White […]

Chicago Bulls: 3 reasons team won’t pursue Derrick Rose – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

Read More

DELAVAN, Wis.–A seaplane landed on Lake Delavan and taxied directly toward where Dave Kranz and I were fishing Thursday. The plane stopped short, then the pilot jumped out and started fishing from the right wing.

Sometimes you have to take a flyer.

Kranz has taken his share.

As we started, he said, “We’re going to catch a bunch of fish today.”

Some bass was bedding, most were post-spawn and I suspect nearly all are by now. We fished wacky-rigged Senkos on braided line on Daiwa spinning reels and St. Croix rods.

For years, I’ve meant to fish with Kranz, who owns Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy at the same location in Crystal Lake for 33 years.

I first knew of him from when Art Frisell and I tournament fished on the Chain O’Lakes, where Kranz was much respected.

Not surprisingly, he decided a few years ago to move up in tournament fishing. He is in his fourth year of Major League Fishing’s Northern Division. He has made steady jumps every year (125th, 93rd, 46th). This year, he wants to finish in the top 28, so he can qualify for the championship.

His tournament fishing is both a dream for himself and to heighten interest in the podcast WeFishASA, which he does with Steve Sarley for American Sportfishing Association. Their 258th episode posted Sunday. They have nearly 300,000 uploads annually.

Dale Bowman

Kranz caught the first largemouth a few minutes in. It was on.

“The bass are wide for their year class, lots of 2 1/2-3 pounders,” he said. “Overall I think the quality of Delavan bass are better than Geneva.”

We only caught a couple below that size and a couple above, best going 3 1/2.

“I like guiding,” he said. “I’ve always think of myself as a teacher. I like figuring it out, especially at the tournament level.”

In that regard, he keeps logs on weather, conditions, fish, lures, date.

What Kris Bryant is to baseball positions, Kranz is outdoor pursuits. Beside shop owner, deer hunter, guide, tournament angler and podcaster, he does a column for Fishing Tackle Retailer.

As a retailer, he experienced the growth of fishing during the pandemic.

“I had my best ice fishing season ever, I think it is a spillover from covid,” he said.

I enjoy that Kranz knows fishing and also broader life.

He was a trustee for the McHenry County Conservation District. While talking about that, he gave me an idea of taking the Metra to Crystal Lake, then Ubering to one of MCCD’s many lakes.

Late morning, Kranz tried a popper and caught one on his second cast. Then I caught one on the popper, making my morning.

“Any day I get to fish, even if it is only half an hour at a pond, it makes the day better,” Kranz said.

As we worked over the flat we started on, the bald eagle he has seen every trip flew over.

It was time.

We caught 17 largemouth in three-plus hours.

For the shop or guiding, call (815) 455-2040 or see on Facebook.

STRAY CAST

Spin rate is to baseball what structure is to fishing.

Read More

White Sox: Yoan Moncada’s comeback season is because of one thing by Ryan Taylor

Next1 of 4Prev post

Use your (arrows) to browse

Chicago Cubs (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs went into this 2021 season with some strange expectations. For the first time since 2015, people went in expecting a good team but not a great team. So far this year, they have been a great team. It started off very slow which had people wondering. The direction of this franchise going forward still remains in question but the players certainly have made it hard.

The Chicago Cubs are one of the most interesting teams in baseball right now.

Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo have been key pillars of this team for a long time. All three of them are currently playing on expiring contracts which is a little scary for Cubs fans. Add the fact that Willson Contreras only has 2022 left and it makes it even worse. If they don’t do things the right way here, there might be some trouble on the horizon.

After their afternoon win on Wednesday, they are 35-27 which is right there for first place in the National League Central with the Milwaukee Brewers. They are certainly a good enough team to make the playoffs as constructed but the question will be whether or not they risk the future to try it one more time. There are people that think they will be buyers before they are sellers but that remains to be seen.

To be in a position like this, there have to be players that reward your faith in them. The Cubs have a few players who have done that. There are also going to be some players who don’t justify the faith you put in them. These are the two players that have justified it the most and one who hasn’t:

Next: Player one might be going to the Hall of Fame

Next1 of 4Prev post

Use your (arrows) to browse

Read More

Officer Robert Bakker has been the subject of four internal investigations that were all opened last year, according to records obtained by the Sun-Times. 

A Chicago cop has been issued a five-day suspension for his ties to the far-right Proud Boys and is now facing a second internal probe into allegations of sexual abuse, the Sun-Times has learned.

Officer Robert Bakker is the subject of four internal investigations that were all opened last year, according to records obtained by the Sun-Times.

Though the inquiry into Bakker’s cozy relationship with the Proud Boys initially resulted in the suspension, he hasn’t yet served it because the case was later reopened at the request of Inspector General Joseph Ferguson’s office, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The inspector general’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ald. Andre Vazquez (40th) previously raised alarms about Bakker to Police Supt. David Brown and Mayor Lori Lightfoot that he said fell on deaf ears. In an interview Wednesday, Vazquez said Bakker’s interactions with the controversial group should have resulted in “an immediate dismissal or some kind of punitive action.”

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

“That’s clearly not been the case,” he said. “This officer’s still out there and there really hasn’t been any kind of accountability. It’s a huge concern.”

Bakker is assigned to the police department’s 1st District and collects a yearly salary of $76,266, city records show.

He didn’t respond to repeated requests to comment.

Multiple active investigations

The latest internal probe targeting Bakker, launched early last August, involves accusations of sexual misconduct and aggravated sexual assault that allegedly occurred in January 2017, nearly a year before he joined the Chicago Police Department as a probationary officer.

The department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs is actively investigating those claims, which fall outside the jurisdiction of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the city agency charged with investigating police misconduct.

The records contain no specific details of the allegations, and it’s unclear whether the case was ever formally referred to prosecutors.

Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, said prosecutors are “aware of CPD’s pending investigation.”

“If information is referred to us, we will review to determine if criminal charges are appropriate,” Simonton said. No criminal charges have been publicly filed.

His ties to the Proud Boys, first reported by Vice last year, prompted an internal affairs probe into “conduct unbecoming violations,” which are officially described as “instances when a Department member acts in a manner which degrades or brings disrespect to the Department or a Department member.”

The reporting centered on leaked chat logs that show Bakker communicating and organizing meetings with members of the Proud Boys, which has been designated as a hate group by the Canadian government and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Members of the Proud Boys, self-described “Western chauvinists” who often spar with leftist activists, have since been ensnared in a sprawling federal investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

AP

While Bakker previously told the Sun-Times that he was never a member of the group, he didn’t deny taking part in the Proud Boys’ “F— Antifa” Telegram channel. In the chat logs, Bakker spoke harshly of a rainbow-colored police emblem that the department posted on social media to celebrate the LGBTQ community.

“I’m not wearing any rainbow bulls- – -,” he said.

Shortly after Bakker’s connection to the Proud Boys was made public, Ald. Vazquez reached out to Supt. Brown and informed the mayor’s office that Bakker had attended Proud Boys’ meetups in his North Side ward. But as he continued to search for answers, Vazquez’s frustrations boiled over in a scathing email.

“Yesterday on a call with the Mayor is the first response to this that I have received since last Wednesday and the only answer I received was ‘oh sorry, there is an investigation,’” Vazquez wrote in the email to Lightfoot and three of her staffers last June.

“Considering the number of threats of Proud Boy activity across the city and directed at our ward and businesses that is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE,” he added. “We had neighbors in full on panic and fear asking us for answers that you all either forgot to provide, ignored and didn’t provide, or just outright didn’t want to provide until I had to ask it at a briefing in front of the full council and the Mayor.”

Vazquez then claimed it’s “insufficient” for officials to merely say an investigation is ongoing. The police department has repeatedly declined to provide records to the Sun-Times related to open investigations.

After Bakker was given the five-day suspension, the case was reopened on Dec. 4, 2020, based on a written request from the inspector general’s office, a source said. Another investigation related to a civilian complaint accusing Bakker of being part of “the white supremacist group” Proud Boys had been closed on June 2, 2020, because it was duplicative, the source added.

Another internal probe targeting Bakker also resulted in a formal punishment, records show. In January, he was reprimanded after he and his partner failed to search a police cruiser where a pellet gun was later discovered.

Bakker tied to wrongful termination suit filed by Muslim cop

He was also implicated in an internal investigation that was sparked by an anonymous complaint to the inspector general’s office, referred to COPA and later closed, a source said. A COPA spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for information about its probe.

Those investigations are apparently tied to a federal lawsuit filed against the city in 2019 by a former cop named Reema Surgit, who has claimed she was “unlawfully terminated” earlier that year. Surgit, who is Muslim, alleged in a recent filing that she was “subjected to a hostile work environment and a work culture based on her sex, religion, national origin, color and/or race.”

The filing notes that she and Bakker both started working at the CPD’s 1^st District on Sept. 24, 2018, when Lt. Steven Konow allegedly began “screaming at her and claiming that she was to report the day before.” When she pushed back and told him she’d confirmed her start date, Konow allegedly “accused her of lying.”

Bakker, however, wasn’t publicly reprimanded despite also allegedly being a day late, the suit holds.

Surgit claims the abuse continued, and Konow and Lt. David Natelson both contributed to a toxic work environment before she was ultimately fired. Bakker isn’t accused of any wrongdoing, but the suit notes he was able to stay on the job after his ties to the Proud Boys came to light.

The allegations in the lawsuit mirror those included in records of the closed administrative case, which named Bakker and the two lieutenants.

Surgit’s attorney didn’t respond to a request for comment. Neither did the city’s Law Department.

Charges dropped in 2006 arrest

Although Bakker had a clean disciplinary record until last year with only one unsubstantiated complaint, records show he was arrested over a decade before he applied to join the police force.

On April 7, 2006, Bakker was working the door at an “illegal rave party” inside a Bucktown apartment when officers were called to break it up. Bakker and three other men were then placed in custody, records show. Bakker, who was 22 at the time, was charged with serving alcohol without a liquor license and not having a public place of amusement license.

The charges were later dropped, and Bakker disclosed the arrest when he applied to become a cop.

CPD

Contributing: Frank Main

Read More

Four people were wounded in separate shootings in Auburn Gresham.

Nine people were shot, three of them fatally, Wednesday in Chicago including a man who was shot and killed while driving in Gresham.

A gunman in another car, possibly a silver SUV, opened fire around 12:20 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Ashland Avenue, Chicago police said. The man, 31, was shot in the chest and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

A man was killed and another wounded in a shooting in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. The men, 28 and 36, were outside when gunfire rang out in the 2800 block of West Warren Avenue at 8 a.m., police said. Someone drove the men to Mount Sinai Hospital, where the 28-year-old was pronounced dead with gunshot wounds to his body. He was identified as Brandon Smiley of Lawndale, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. The other man was listed in serious condition with gunshot wounds to his arm and thigh.

A man was shot to death as he answered his door in Auburn Gresham on the South Side. The 60-year-old heard the doorbell and went to the front door of his home in the 2000 block of West 83rd Street about 2 a.m., police said. A family member heard a gunshot and found the man lying in the doorway with a gunshot wound to his forehead. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

In non-fatal shootings, Two teenage boys were wounded in a shooting on the Far South Side. They were outside about 9:20 p.m. in the 400 block of East 134th Street when someone opened fire, striking them both, police said. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the back and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition. Another boy, 16, was struck in the foot and taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where he was in good condition.

Earlier in the day, a 17-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting in Brighton Park on the Southwest Side. He was walking about 5:30 p.m. in the 4900 block of South Kedzie Avenue when someone fired shots from a vehicle, police said. The teen was struck in the leg and taken to Holy Cross Hospital in good condition.

A man was wounded in a drive-by in Englewood on the South Side. About 1:35 a.m., the 25-year-old was riding in the back seat of a vehicle when a black Jeep pulled up next to him in the 7100 block of South Racine Street, and fired several shots into his vehicle, police said. He was struck in the back and taken to St. Bernard Hospital where his condition was stabilized.

In the day’s first reported shooting, a Chicago police officer fired at a man who had just shot two people in Gresham, but the man got away after barricading himself in a home, authorities said. Officers on patrol had seen the man shooting from an alley into a garage in the 8300 block of South Kerfoot Avenue around 12:30 a.m. One officer fired once at the man, but it was not known if he was hit. They discovered two men in the garage who had been shot by the suspect. One man, 60, was struck in his thigh, and a man in his 50s was struck in the leg. Both were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where the 60-year-old was in good condition and the younger man in serious condition. After running from the scene, the man barricaded himself inside a home. A SWAT team responded and surrounded the home for about eight hours. Later Wednesday morning, police said the standoff was over but that no one was in custody.

Fourteen people were shot, one fatally, Tuesday citywide.

Read More

Flashy fight scenes move along a story that’s pretty much nonsense.

Why listen to me for an explanation of the bang-bang sci-fi action thriller “Infinite” when Mark Wahlberg’s Evan McCauley does it for us at the outset? In one of the more listless and uninspired narration jobs in recent movie history, Mark/Evan tells us:

“There are among us a people gifted with a perfect memory of all their past lives. They call themselves ‘Infinites.’ Among the Infinites, two groups have vied for powers. On one side, the Believers, dedicated to using their knowledge for the protection and growth of all humanity. Against them stand the Nihilists, who see this power as a curse. New technologies have given the Nihilists an opportunity to end all life on Earth, and the race is on for its control.”

Oh boy. That sounds … complicated.

From that setup, director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day,” “The Equalizer”) plunges us into a slick, loud, well-photographed and utterly unoriginal action sequence set in Mexico City, with speeding sports cars and hopelessly outmatched police vehicles and a helicopter swirling above and shots ringing out everywhere. It’s the cinematic equivalent of empty calories, and it sets the tone for the rest of the film. “Infinite” has some impressive set pieces combining practical effects and CGI, and the terrific cast approaches the material with grim-faced sincerity, but it’s ultimately a big bag of nonsense wrapped in glossy packaging.

Wahlberg’s Evan lives in New York City and is struggling to make ends meet, as his history of mental illness and the occasional bursts of violent temper make it nearly impossible for him to keep a steady job. Not that Evan doesn’t have mad talents. He’s a walking Wikipedia of historical and scientific knowledge and is a skilled swordsmith who can make one-of-a-kind weapons, even though he’s never had any training. Things just … come to him.

After a harrowing encounter with Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Ted, who is one of the aforementioned Nihilists and wants to destroy the planet because, well, because he’s the bad guy and we don’t need to get any deeper into his grand plan, Evan gets the scoop from Sophie Cookson’s Tammy, who explains to him he’s not crazy — he’s just the latest reincarnation of someone who has been around for centuries. THAT’S why Evan dreams in other languages, and sometimes has memory flashes from distant locales and times and feels like he’s being pulled in a million different directions. He’s an Infinite, Believer Division, with multiple past lives, and it’s up to him to lead the resistance against the evil Ted and his minions!

“Infinite” has some cool sets and some awesome futuristic weaponry, and we get entertainingly hammy supporting cameos from Toby Jones and Jason Mantzoukas as eccentric sideline players. Wahlberg does his best mini-Clint Eastwood impersonation, but seems almost as nonplussed by all the exposition as we are. For all its ambitions to be a thinking person’s action film, “Infinite” has us thinking this is a relatively dumb action film.

Read More

Moon Alert

Caution! Avoid shopping or making important decisions after 12:30 p.m. Chicago time. The moon is in Gemini.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a confusing day, so don’t beat yourself up if you feel lazy or you want to spend a lot of time daydreaming. Jot down any creative ideas that you might have because you can think outside of the box. Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Everything to do with finances, shopping and earning money is subject to confusion. Therefore, tread carefully! Postpone important financial decisions. Do not shop except for food or gas, especially after the moon alert begins.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

The moon is still in your sign, but now it’s at odds with fuzzy Neptune, which makes you very sensitive to your environment. It also encourages daydreams. This is why it’s a poor day to make important decisions. (Caution with drugs and alcohol.)

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You might seek a dreamy escape because you want to “get away from all this.” This is a poor day to embark on something new that requires clear thinking. It’s also a poor day to make important decisions. But you will be interested in studying supernatural phenomena or “secrets.”

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

A conversation with a friend might be confusing. For starters, you might idealize this person in an unrealistic way. Or perhaps, the conversation between the two of you will be like two ships passing in the night. Many interactions are confusing today. (Yikes!)

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Conversations with partners and close friends as well as bosses and parents are subject to misunderstandings. Your best defense is to clarify anything that’s important. Make sure others know what you are saying. Make sure you know what they are saying.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

You might be interested in ancient subjects, philosophies and fables, especially stories that hearken back to the times of Arthur and Merlin. Today your curiosity is aroused because you are more sensitive to everything around you, which, in turn, puts a new possibility on everything.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Although you might be focused on shared property, taxes, debt and insurance matters or anything that you hold jointly with someone else, this is a poor day to make decisions regarding these matters. For one thing, most of this day is a moon alert; in addition to which, it’s a foggy day all day anyhow. Oy!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Be extra clear in all your communications with family members and partners because there’s a lot of room for confusion today. If you feel offended by what someone says, wait a minute — because you can probably chalk this up to a confused communication. Don’t take it personally.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

It’s important to know that information concerning your health might be mistaken today or confused. Therefore, this is the classic time to get a second opinion on another day. (Not today.) You might also have an issue with a pet, particularly with poison or food that is bad. Be vigilant.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You will spend a lot of time daydreaming today; however, for those who work in the arts, some of these daydreams might be creative possibilities. Make notes but do not act on them during the moon alert. Parents should know where their children are.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

A family conversation could be confusing today, especially if drugs and alcohol are involved. Or perhaps you will resort to some childhood attitudes, which ultimately will mislead you. This can happen. Hey, you’re an adult now.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Kate Flannery (1964) shares your birthday. You are mentally sharp, creative and you love music. You are independent and persistent. You are also generous. You are entering a busy, fast-paced year full of many different kinds of activities. You will enjoy the company of others and, vice versa. You might join forces with someone you have not seen for a while.

Read More

Beer anniversaries for Miskatonic, Lo Rez, RT66, and Urban Forest!Read More

Five Sky players finished the game scoring in double digits on 45.1% shooting as a team.

Candace Parker made her long-awaited debut at Wintrust Arena on Wednesday night in the Sky’s 92-76 victory against the Indiana Fever which snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Parker made an impact immediately, grabbing a defensive rebound and finding Kahleah Copper in transition for an easy lay-up in the opening seconds. Parker, who finished with three points, five rebounds and two assists, was limited to less than 20 minutes by coach and general manager James Wade, but the mental impact she had on the team was more significant than any stat line. Wade said having Parker back on the court provided the team an instant sense of calm and a boost of energy.

“I rehabbed my ass off for the last three weeks to be back on the court,” Parker said. “I’m just happy to be back out there playing basketball.”

Courtney Vandersloot (17 points) led a group of five Sky players with double-digit scoring. The team shot 45.1%.

The Sky enter the game with the worst field-goal percentage in the league. Wade stressed the need to simplify the offense to get back to last years first-place form. He took out 60% of the playbook, most of it walk-up sets. He said the complex playbook created overthinking.

Containing the Fever’s guards and slowing down their attack in transition was critical, but the Sky had no answer for Kelsey Mitchell. She finished with a game-high 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting.

Limiting Teaira McCowan’s catches in the paint was another focus defensively, and the Sky were able to hold her to nine points. Still, the Sky’s issue with late-game breakdowns persisted. Their 12-point lead at the half was cut to as few as four in the third quarter.

“A lot of it had to do with our focus on the ball,” Wade said. “We were trying to jump into schemes before we had the ball controlled. We have to make sure the ball is contained before we start thinking about schemes.”

With four minutes left in the game, Tiffany Mitchell fouled Diamond DeShields who fell hard on the right side of her body. On the floor she appeared to say “It’s my back.” She was helped off the court by trainers. Wade said she was a little sore but was doing fine.

DeShields finished with nine points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Coming into the season she said she wanted to be known more as a playmaker than a scorer. She played a complete game Wednesday.

The Sky’s bench came up huge. Azura Stevens (12 points) and Allie Quigley (10 points) were key contributors, while rookie guard Dana Evans finished with nine points off the bench.

Vandersloot, who added nine assists and two steals to her 17 points, said Evans’ style of play fits well with the Sky. She has been most impressed by Evans’ ability to show up in the middle of a losing streak and immediately contribute.

The game was the Sky’s first Commissioners Cup game since their 90-83 loss to the Atlanta Dream on May 25th. Five of their next eight games count towards their Cup standings.

Next up, the Sky play the Fever on the road at noon Saturday.

“What’s crazy is we still have so much more that we can do,” Parker said.

Read More