The Chicago Sky celebrates its WNBA Championship title at Pritzker Pavilion. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Fans gathered in Millennium Park and along the Michigan Avenue parade route to celebrate the team’s first title.

Hey, Chicago Sky — don’t stop now.

That was the message from some fans gathered for Tuesday’s championship celebration.

A city hungry for something to be happy about won’t be happy with just one WNBA title. They think the Sky are poised for another.

Or three.

Larry Jones, 68, was along the Michigan Avenue parade route and said he’s confident the Sky can pull off “the ultimate three-peat” and made his own sign to make that clear.

“I think it’s going to make the city a little happier,” he said.

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Larry Jones, 68, predicted more Sky titles with his sign. The North Sider was along the Michigan Avenue parade route Tuesday morning.

The Sky’s come-from-way-behind win on Sunday gave Chicago its first major league championship in five years, and was being celebrated with a parade, then a rally at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

The Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74 Sunday at Wintrust Arena. The win made the Sky the first Chicago sports team to win a title since the Cubs won it all in 2016, ending a centurylong drought. The Sky were also the first team to win a championship at home since the Blackhawks in 2015.

“Yo, Courtney you want an Angry Orchard?” Candace Parker yelled back to her point guard on Bus 2 before it departed Wintrust Arena on its championship route.

The parade left Wintrust Arena about 11:25 a.m. — a little later than the scheduled 11 a.m. start time. The motorcade headed to Michigan Avenue, then north toward Millennium Park for the noon rally.

Madeline Kenney/Sun-Times
Inside the Pritzker PavilionMark Capapas/Sun-Times
The Chicago Sky buses along Michigan Avenue at Millennium Park on Tuesday.

Fans lined Michigan Avenue to cheer on the champions.

Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot looked out at fans waving, took a deep breath and said, “I truly can’t believe this.”

As the parade came to an end, hundreds more fans flocked to the Pritzker Pavilion, where thousands had already gathered in anticipation for the rally. Some fans arrived as early as 9 a.m. for the noon ceremony, including Christina Ratliff and her 10-year-old daughter Jazmyn who came from Melrose Park.

“We’re playing hooky today,” Ratliff said.

Some people started to line up on the edge overlooking the outdoor theatre as red seats filled up. People danced and clapped along to the beat of the music. Some waved baby-blue Sky flags and pumped their fists in the air.

The Whitney Young girls’ varsity basketball team was sitting just left to the stage.

“I’m just happy to see women representing our city and representing basketball and bringing a championship to the city,” junior guard Olivia Vick said. “It’s just great to see that one day all of us can be in their shoes and they’re big role models.”

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
Players and fans start the celebration at the Pritzker Pavilion.

Among those speaking from the stage was Chance the Rapper, who declared:

“I’m going to make this quick because I had champagne for breakfast.”

While plenty of people lined the parade route, some fans went right to the rally site at Pritzker Pavilion to claim a spot once it opened at 10 a.m.

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
The celebration begins at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, where fans gathered in honor of the Chicago Sky’s first WNBA title.

Ken Justus, with his handmade “Sky-Town” sign, lined up early to get into the rally.

“This is all about happiness,” said Justus, 65, who lives near Mayfair Park. “I had a good feeling about it the whole year, even when they were at the bottom. I thought they were gonna turn it around and they did. They did!”

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Ken Justus was among the Chicago Sky fans showing up earlyTuesday for the rally at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park celebrating the team’s WNBA title.

Over 100 Chicago Sky fans wore jerseys and other fan gear as some sat on a curb along Michigan Avenue, waiting to catch a glimpse of the newly appointed champions.

Fans formed circles and chatted as they waited for the motorcade, and everyone had their phones in hand, ready to take photos of their favorite players.

Among those out on the parade route were Ashley Flattery and Paul Bulow, who attended every home playoff game they could and were inside Wintrust Arena for the series clincher on Sunday.

Manny Ramos/Sun-Times
Ashley Flattery and Paul Bulow, were inside Wintrust Arena to see the Chicago Sky win the WNBA title on Sunday, and then took off work to attend the parade and rally on Tuesday.

The mood was electrifying — so much so they wore earplugs to soften the sound of cheers.

“We took off work to show support and we wanted to be close to the start of the parade,” Flattery said, as she and Bulow stood along Michigan Avenue Tuesday. “This is exciting and it’s great to be here today.”

The pair said they been Chicago Sky fans since 2014 and have fallen in love with the WNBA. Bulow hopes this is the beginning of many championship parades.

“I know we have a some free agents coming up next season but I hope we can keep everyone together,” Bulow said. “This team was so fun to watch all year long.”

Vickie Williams, a South Side native, eagerly stood on Michigan Ave waiting for the team to roll by.

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Vickie Williams predicts a repeat for the Chicago Sky.

“We need this in Chicago,” said Williams, 39, a Chicago police officer. “Crime is a little high, the COVID thing and everything, we need some positivity.”

Williams said she has a feeling she’ll be back next year.

“We’re gonna win again, back to back,” she said. “We have a great team, great fans, going into the next season it’s going to be good.”

Reportedly, Diana Taurasi, who plays for the Mercury, was so upset by the loss that she broke a door at Wintrust Arena — and there was a broken door out on the stage. James Wade, the Sky’s head coach, confirmed to a reporter that it was the door Taurasi had broken.

Madeline Kennay/Sun-Times
The Chicago Sky tweeted a picture of a broken door on stage at the Pritzker Pavilion, announcing it as “a special guest appearance.” Diana Taurasi, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, reportedly broke a door at Wintrust Arena in frustration after the Sky rallied from a 14-point deficit to take the title.

Read More

Read More

Sun-Times columnist Phil Kadner | Rich Hein/Sun-Times

“My country has changed in ways I could never have imagined when I was a young reporter.”

I love this country. I love being a newspaperman. I always thought that by doing my job and doing it well I was making America a better place to live. Instead, I was told I was becoming an “enemy of the people.”

That’s how Donald Trump referred to the news media repeatedly during his presidency, and his supporters take pride in branding as “fake news” anything reported in the traditional news media. There are many who refuse to believe that Joe Biden won the last presidential election.

For most of my 45-year career I was what people refer to as a community journalist. I wrote about the suburbs south of Chicago that almost no other reporter bothered to visit: Robbins, Dixmoor, Sauk Village, Ford Heights, to name just a few.

I wrote about minority communities, poor communities, white suburbs and upper middle-class suburbs.

Dixmoor had a park district that collected property taxes for a field house, offered no park programs but had issued more than 100 badges to park district police officers and had a full-time park district police chief. It’s one postage stamp-sized park had rusted monkey bars and a swing set with no swings.

Ford Heights had undrinkable water coming out of its taps and a police department that committed most of the crime in the community.

As a young reporter I wrote about the neo-Nazi Party headquartered near Marquette Park in Chicago and often interviewed Frank Collin, its leader, who was seated in front of a flag with a swastika on it. I covered riots where advocates of white power threw bricks and bottles at black people marching in favor of open housing.

I was a news reporter, columnist and editor but many of my colleagues focused on other things. They wrote stories about homemade foods, vegetables people grew in their gardens and high school sports teams (boys and girls). There were movie and local play reviews. The newspaper carried obituaries, a police blotter and classified advertisements, probably the most popular things in the newspaper.

The pay was poor. The hours long. There wasn’t much glory. Some years I worked seven days a week, 12 hours a day.

I woke up screaming in the middle of the night because I thought I may have incorrectly spelled someone’s name or gotten a date wrong.

Our newspaper was repeatedly sold and over time most of my colleagues, my friends, lost their jobs.

“Good!” the woman who owned the bagel store I frequented every morning for 10 years shouted at me one day. “I hope all you people lose your jobs.”

As I was leaving, she shouted something about “fake news” at my back.

I thought of Lorraine Cook, a woman I helped launch one of the largest charity organizations in the southwest suburbs.

I thought about Alice Green, the grandmother in Dixmoor, who enlisted me in her crusade to send corrupt park board members to prison.

I thought about Frances, a 76-year-old woman, who just walked into the newspaper office one day and asked for help. She had no family. No money. But she told me she trusted the newspaper to help her because that’s what newspapers did.

And I thought about a mayor in Palos Heights who stood up to his community when they opposed the creation of a mosque. He quoted the Constitution. He quoted Christian scripture. He quoted the Pledge of Allegiance, the part about “freedom and justice for all.” He was jeered and booed by his neighbors.

I told him he would lose his bid for re-election. He didn’t believe it. He believed in the people of his community. He received a prestigious Profile in Courage Award from the Kennedy Center … after he lost that election.

I still love my country. But when I see American flags flying from the windows of automobiles that pass me on the highway or on mailboxes in my community, I wince. Those flags seem to symbolize a threat, not a promise of freedom.

My country has changed in ways I could never have imagined when I was a young reporter interviewing Frank Collin in his Nazi headquarters. And I think he would feel far comfortable here today than I do.

After a long, storied, award-winning journalism career for the Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere, Phil Kadner is retiring from writing for the Sun-Times. This is his last column.

Email: [email protected]

Read More

Braised and Glazed Short Ribs | Lynda Balslev/TasteFood

It’s time for cozy warmth and slow-cook food days, with the aromas of meat and spice wafting through the house.

Now that the fall season is officially launched, it’s time to braise. After all, ’tis the season for fleece and woolies, lighting the fireplace, and reaching for our Dutch ovens. It’s time for cozy warmth and slow-cook food days, with the aromas of meat and spice wafting through the house. It’s meant for braises, stews and roasts, accompanied by squidgy mashes and bubbling gratins. No matter the neck of the woods in which you live or the weather outside, autumn is in the air — and on the menu.

Short ribs are excellent for slow-cooked braises. The long cook time delivers flavor and fall-off-the-bone meat. Once cooked, reduce the braising juices for a thick and rich sauce that you can use to glaze the ribs and for serving. Ideally, take it even slower: Make the ribs a day in advance and let the cooked ribs muddle in the braising liquid overnight. Not only does this allow the flavors to develop even further, but the next day, the fat will have risen to the top and solidified, for easy removal and a clean sauce.

Braised and Glazed Short Ribs

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 to 4 pounds short ribs with bone
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (750ml) bottle full-bodied red wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy, oven-proof pot with lid over medium-high heat. In batches, brown the short ribs on all sides without overcrowding the pan and transfer to a plate.

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pot. Add the onion, carrot and garlic. Saute over medium-high heat, scraping up any brown bits, until the vegetables brighten in color and begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, paprika, cumin and coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the red wine, soy sauce, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

4. Return the short ribs to the pot, submerging them in the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off.

5. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours or until the meat is fork-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove the pot from oven.

NOTE: The ribs can be prepared in advance to this point. Cool the ribs in the sauce and refrigerate overnight in the pot. The next day, the fat will have risen to the top. Lift off the fat and discard. Gently warm the pot on the stove to loosen the ribs from the stock and proceed with the recipe.

6. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Transfer the short ribs to a roasting pan or baking dish.

7. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and boil until thickened and reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes, skimming any fat from the top. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired.

8. Brush the meat with the reduced sauce. Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast the ribs until they are glazed and beginning to crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning food and wine writer, cookbook author and recipe developer. She also authors the blog TasteFood, a compilation of more than 600 original recipes, photos and stories. More of her recipes can be found at suntimes.com/taste.

Read More

The Chicago Sky buses along Michigan Avenue at Millennium Park on Tuesday. | Mark Capapas/Sun-Times

Fans gathered in Millennium Park and along the Michigan Avenue parade route to celebrate the team’s first title.

Hey, Chicago Sky — don’t stop now.

That was the message from some fans gathered for Tuesday’s championship celebration.

A city hungry for something to be happy about won’t be happy with just one WNBA title. They think the Sky are poised for another.

Or three.

Larry Jones, 68, was along the Michigan Avenue parade route and said he’s confident the Sky can pull off “the ultimate three-peat” and made his own sign to make that clear.

“I think it’s going to make the city a little happier,” he said.

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Larry Jones, 68, predicted more Sky titles with his sign. The North Sider was along the Michigan Avenue parade route Tuesday morning.

The Sky’s come-from-way-behind win on Sunday gave Chicago its first major league championship in five years, and was being celebrated with a parade, then a rally at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

The Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74 Sunday at Wintrust Arena. The win made the Sky the first Chicago sports team to win a title since the Cubs won it all in 2016, ending a centurylong drought. The Sky were also the first team to win a championship at home since the Blackhawks in 2015.

“Yo, Courtney you want an Angry Orchard?” Candace Parker yelled back to her point guard on Bus 2 before it departed Wintrust Arena on its championship route.

The parade left Wintrust Arena about 11:25 a.m. — a little later than the scheduled 11 a.m. start time. The motorcade headed to Michigan Avenue, then north toward Millennium Park for the noon rally.

Madeline Kenney/Sun-Times
Inside the Pritzker Pavilion

Fans lined Michigan Avenue to cheer on the champions.

Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot looked out at fans waving, took a deep breath and said, “I truly can’t believe this.”

As the parade came to an end, hundreds more fans flocked to the Pritzker Pavilion, where thousands had already gathered in anticipation for the rally. Some fans arrived as early as 9 a.m. for the noon ceremony, including Christina Ratliff and her 10-year-old daughter Jazmyn who came from Melrose Park.

“We’re playing hooky today,” Ratliff said.

Some people started to line up on the edge overlooking the outdoor theatre as red seats filled up. People danced and clapped along to the beat of the music. Some waved baby-blue Sky flags and pumped their fists in the air.

The Whitney Young girls’ varsity basketball team was sitting just left to the stage.

“I’m just happy to see women representing our city and representing basketball and bringing a championship to the city,” junior guard Olivia Vick said. “It’s just great to see that one day all of us can be in their shoes and they’re big role models.”

While plenty of people lined the parade route, some fans went right to the rally site at Pritzker Pavilion to claim a spot once it opened at 10 a.m.

Ken Justus, with his handmade “Sky-Town” sign, lined up early to get into the rally.

“This is all about happiness,” said Justus, 65, who lives near Mayfair Park. “I had a good feeling about it the whole year, even when they were at the bottom. I thought they were gonna turn it around and they did. They did!”

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Ken Justus was among the Chicago Sky fans showing up earlyTuesday for the rally at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park celebrating the team’s WNBA title.

Over 100 Chicago Sky fans wore jerseys and other fan gear as some sat on a curb along Michigan Avenue, waiting to catch a glimpse of the newly appointed champions.

Fans formed circles and chatted as they waited for the motorcade, and everyone had their phones in hand, ready to take photos of their favorite players.

Among those out on the parade route were Ashley Flattery and Paul Bulow, who attended every home playoff game they could and were inside Wintrust Arena for the series clincher on Sunday.

Manny Ramos/Sun-Times
Ashley Flattery and Paul Bulow, were inside Wintrust Arena to see the Chicago Sky win the WNBA title on Sunday, and then took off work to attend the parade and rally on Tuesday.

The mood was electrifying — so much so they wore earplugs to soften the sound of cheers.

“We took off work to show support and we wanted to be close to the start of the parade,” Flattery said, as she and Bulow stood along Michigan Avenue Tuesday. “This is exciting and it’s great to be here today.”

The pair said they been Chicago Sky fans since 2014 and have fallen in love with the WNBA. Bulow hopes this is the beginning of many championship parades.

“I know we have a some free agents coming up next season but I hope we can keep everyone together,” Bulow said. “This team was so fun to watch all year long.”

Vickie Williams, a South Side native, eagerly stood on Michigan Ave waiting for the team to roll by.

Jason Beeferman/Sun-Times
Vickie Williams predicts a repeat for the Chicago Sky.

“We need this in Chicago,” said Williams, 39, a Chicago police officer. “Crime is a little high, the COVID thing and everything, we need some positivity.”

Williams said she has a feeling she’ll be back next year.

“We’re gonna win again, back to back,” she said. “We have a great team, great fans, going into the next season it’s going to be good.”

Reportedly, Diana Taurasi, who plays for the Mercury, was so upset by the loss that she broke a door at Wintrust Arena — and there was a broken door out on the stage.

Madeline Kennay/Sun-Times
The Chicago Sky tweeted a picture of a broken door on stage at the Pritzker Pavilion, announcing it as “a special guest appearance.” Diana Taurasi, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, reportedly broke a door at Wintrust Arena in frustration after the Sky rallied from a 14-point deficit to take the title.

Read More

St. Rita’s Morez Johnson (1) shoots the ball as DePaul’s Brian Mathews (33) blocks. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

Each October in LaGrange the Pangos All-Midwest Camp brings together many of the top freshmen and sophomores in the state and throughout the Midwest.

Each October in LaGrange the Pangos All-Midwest Camp brings together many of the top freshmen and sophomores in the state and throughout the Midwest.

No, it’s not the cleanest played basketball or even all that intense. Top players are thrown together on a team — often with others who you would not consider a “top” player — and they go up and down against each other for a few hours. There is little to no defense played and running any hint of an offense is unthinkable. Any type of unselfish play is a bonus.

Let’s call it what it is: bad basketball.

But annually this is always an event filled with talent, all of which is young and much of which has been unseen up to this point.

Pangos is an opportunity to get eyes on the next wave of players and prospects as there are dozens of future college basketball players on display.

Here are some observations from the 2021 Pangos All-Midwest Camp.

One program’s impressive display of talent

It’s not very often a high school team makes a statement at an individual all-star type of camp, but that’s exactly what St. Rita did over the weekend, placing four players on the Pangos Top 30 all-star game on Sunday.

Watching St. Rita last year during the abbreviated season was just the appetizer of what could be a special three-year run for the Mustangs. The program is bubbling over with young, up-and-coming talent, and it was on full display at the Pangos event.

Already blessed with the top prospect in the sophomore class in 6-9 James Brown, who has a surplus of high-major offers and was named co-MVP of the top 30 game on Sunday,, teammate Morez Johnson is right there with Brown in the discussion of the top-ranked player in the Class of 2024.

Then there is freshman Melvin Bell, who will be challenging for the No. 1 spot in the Class of 2025.

The 6-8 Johnson was arguably the most impressive prospect at the Pangos event over the two days. He not only looked the part but produced, both with an overpowering ruggedness and an improving offensive skill set. Johnson toyed with opponents at times as he played against players his own age and younger.

Bell, meanwhile, showcased a smoothness and natural talent on the floor that immediately draws you to him as a bright prospect. He has opened the eyes of the Illinois coaching staff as coach Brad Underwood offered the 6-3 guard last month before he has even played a single high school game.

Sophomore point guard Jaiden Reyna is evolving into a dynamic point guard. The 6-0 lead guard gained valuable experience a year ago. He, too, has been offered by Illinois. He plays with speed and ease with the ball in his hands, and there were moments where he dazzled at Pangos.

Top player in 2025?

While it’s way too early to truly start dissecting the current freshman class in Illinois, it’s pretty clear right now there are three players who will be vying for the top spot — at least early in their careers: Bell, Kenwood’s 6-5 Bryce Heard and Young’s 6-4 Antonio Munoz.

Remembering they have yet to play a high school basketball game, this trio were all at a different level than other prospects in the Class of 2025. They each have size, length and a wide array of scoring potential for such young players. This is an exciting trio of young prospects in the state.

It’s not easy picking who is the best player right now or who has the highest ceiling. But all three will be part of teams that will be ranked among the top teams in the state this coming season.

The state’s next sharpshooter

There are some outstanding shooters in the state. Go ahead and add Payton Kamin of DePaul Prep to the short list of elite snipers from the perimeter.

Kamin, a 6-5 sophomore, will have a big role this season for coach Tom Kleinschmidt who must replace a ton of minutes, production and overall talent from last year’s terrific team. Kamin is set to become one of the better players in the Catholic League due to his shooting ability which was on display at Pangos.

More thoughts and observations

The biggest benefit of the Pangos Camp is an opportunity to get a look at new, up-and-coming players who are set to make a name for themselves sooner than later on the high school basketball scene. The following is a whole list of freshmen and sophomores who found a way to impress.

There were a pair of central Illinois players who put together impressive showings at Pangos: Normal 6-8 big man Jaheem Webber and Limestone guard Dekwon Brown. Webber is a player who has been seen quite a bit early in his career playing with the Illinois Wolves on the club circuit. He’s an old school 5-man who uses his wide body well inside and boasts soft hands and touch around the rim and when facing up inside 15 feet. Brown, a super-charged scorer, was named co-MVP of the Top 30 all-star game as he constantly found ways to put the ball in the basket throughout the weekend. Brown has transferred from Peoria to Limestone for his sophomore year.
This was a good time to see Lemont’s Nojus Indrusaitis, who is arguably the best young prospect in the sophomore class who the average fan has never seen play. Scoring comes pretty easily for the 6-4 guard who can do it in a lot of ways. It’s fun having a star player at a program like Lemont, and it’s going to be even more fun to see how high Indrusaitis can lift that program’s profile. There won’t be a young player who will mean more to his team than Indrusaitis. He’s yet another player in the Class of 2024 who Illinois has offered.
Leo sophomore Tavariyaun Williams, a 6-4 athletic wing with an excellent physical profile, impressed at Pangos. He’s a little-known player who transferred in from De La Salle but is one to watch this season in the Catholic League.
Larkin has churned out several quality guards over the years, but sophomore point guard Andre Blakley, Jr. has a chance to be the best of the bunch when it’s all said and done. He has a way about him with the ball in his hands and scoring on his mind as the ball comes out of his hand effortlessly. Those are some qualities you eventually thrive with as you mature physically and as a player.
Rolling Meadows is set to be one of the top teams again in the Chicago area and will get a boost from freshman Ian Miletic. The intriguing 6-5 Miletic showed off an impressive skill set at his size that will warrant varsity minutes this season. He looks the part of a Division I player down the road as he adds strength and some consistency with his jumper.
In an event like this with very little structure on the floor and an excess of one-on-one play, it’s refreshing to see a pass-first point guard. That’s what Farragut sophomore Jonathan Calmese provided. The 5-11 Calmese surveys the floor so well and was constantly finding teammates in this me-first event. This is an elite passer who is completely under the radar.
A couple of other city guards who opened eyes were Carlos Harris of Curie and Quentin McCoy of Lindblom. Both are sophomores and both showed a knack for scoring the basketball. Harris is a power-packed 6-2 guard who attacks offensively and thrives in getting to the rim and has been a fixture early on in the Class of 2024. McCoy is an unknown 5-11 point guard who showed to be a willing passer and capable shooter.
Josh Pickett arrived on the scene last year as a freshman playing at the varsity level for St. Rita. The 6-3 guard again showed why he’s ready to help West Aurora following his transfer there as he’s a load when using his strong body and frame at the rim.
Read More

South Carolina is No. 1 in the preseason AP women’s basketball poll. | Richard Shiro/AP

Dawn Staley and South Carolina are back in a familiar spot: No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll.

Dawn Staley and South Carolina are back in a familiar spot: No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll.

It’s the second consecutive season that the Gamecocks are the preseason favorite.

“With who we brought back and who added for this season, we knew we would start out among the hunted, and it’s something that our program is getting used to,” said Staley, who is going into her 14th season as South Carolina coach. “Watching practice every day, I can see that we have the pieces and the competitive fire to reach all of our goals. We have a few more weeks to put those pieces together into a cohesive, successful team that can live up to this preseason ranking.”

The Gamecocks received 14 of the 29 first-place votes from a national media panel in Tuesday’s poll. UConn was second, garnering 10 first-place ballots. It’s the 15th consecutive season that the Huskies were among the top five teams in the preseason.

Defending national champion Stanford was third, getting the other five first-place votes. Maryland and North Carolina State rounded out the top five.

It’s been a busy few days for Staley. The school announced a new, seven-year contract that will pay her $2.9 million this season and grow to $3.5 million in the final season. She also believes the $22.4 million deal should make an impact on her sport and in the equality of what men and women’s coaches and athletes receive from their schools.

HOOSIER HYSTERIA

Indiana is No. 8, the school’s highest ranking ever in women’s basketball. There’s a lot of excitement around Bloomington, with all five starters returning from a team that went to the Elite Eight last year and had its sixth straight 20-win season.

“It’s great recognition for our program and a testament to our team and how they continued to get better throughout one of the most difficult and challenging seasons we had in the history of women’s basketball,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said. “We believe we have much to prove and are looking forward to what we know will be a challenging season in both non-conference as well as what we’ll see in the Big Ten.”

RISING WOLVERINES

Michigan also tied its best ranking ever, coming in at No. 11. The Wolverines return three starters, including Naz Hillmon, from the squad that lost to Baylor in overtime in the Sweet 16 last season.

Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico called the ranking an honor and said her team was eager to build on the momentum from last spring.

“We have been able to take steps forward and grow as a program the past few seasons, doing things that had never been done before,” she said. “Showing that consistency year in and year out is the sign of a great program, not just a great team.”

HEARTLAND HOPES

There are high expectations in Iowa this year: The Hawkeyes are No. 9 and Iowa State is No. 12.

Iowa, led by star guard Caitlin Clark, has its its highest preseason ranking since the team was sixth in 1996.

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly has a bulk of his starting five back, including Ashley Joens and Lexi Donarski. It’s the team’s best ranking in the preseason since 2001, when the Cyclones were eighth.

CONFERENCE WATCH

The Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC each have five ranked teams, tops in the nation:

Joining No. 4 Maryland, No. 8 Indiana, No. 9 Iowa and No. 11 Michigan is No. 17 Ohio State for the Big Ten.

In the Pac-12, No. 3 Stanford is joined by No. 10 Oregon, No. 14 Oregon State, No. 20 UCLA and No. 22 Arizona.

The ACC has No. 5 N.C. State, No. 6 Louisville, No. 16 Florida State, No. 17 Georgia Tech and No. 24 Virginia Tech.

The SEC has four teams with No. 13 Kentucky, No. 15 Tennessee and No. 23 Texas A&M joining top-ranked South Carolina. The Big 12 also has four programs ranked, led by No. 7 Baylor with new head coach Nicki Collen. The Bears are joined by the Cyclones, No. 19 West Virginia and No. 25 Texas.

The only non-Power Five team in the poll is No. 21 South Florida out of the American Athletic Conference.

TIP-INS

Georgia Tech is ranked for the third time ever in the preseason (2009, 2012). … Virginia Tech is in the preseason poll for only the second time ever, joining the 1999 squad that was ranked 19th.

THE TOP 25

1. South Carolina

2. UConn

3. Stanford

4. Maryland

5. NC State

6. Louisville

7. Baylor

8. Indiana

9. Iowa

10. Oregon

11. Michigan

12. Iowa St.

13. Kentucky

14. Oregon St.

15. Tennessee

16. Florida St.

17. Ohio St.

17. Georgia Tech

19. West Virginia

20. UCLA

21. South Florida

22. Arizona

23. Texas A&M

24. Virginia Tech

25. Texas

Read More

Allie Quigley shoots a three against the Mercury. | Photo by Mike Mattina/Getty Images

For the record, Quigley spent approximately zero time thinking about attempting to defend the Sky’s first title.

A WNBA championship on Sunday. A downtown parade on Tuesday. But what did Allie Quigley — the star of the decisive Game 4 with a career-playoff-high 26 points — do on Monday?

“Totally nothing fun,” she said.

It was perfect.

At home in Deerfield with wife and teammate Courtney Vandersloot, Quigley awoke from a hard-earned slumber at about 9:30. Not the worst attempt at sleeping in for a rain-making deep shooter who’d hit the hay at 1:30 after a night of celebration with Sky players.

“The second you wake up,” she said, “you remember what just happened. It’s hard to go back to sleep after that.”

More like impossible. Quigley, 35, a former Joliet Catholic and DePaul great, had a couple hundred texts waiting for her that she’d ignored the night before because she wanted to be present with family, friends and these triumphant women who took Chicago sports fans — and one another — on an unexpected and intoxicating ride.

The texts cascaded in from former teammates and coaches, and from family. A number in the Quigley tree told her how proud her father, Pat, who died when she was in first grade, would’ve been. Something about that, even after all these years, moved her deeply.

“I had quite a few people touch me emotionally,” she said. “They said just with how the game ended, the fourth quarter, how things worked out for us with them missing layups and us just hitting shots, that my dad was there, smiling down and watching, that he was a part of that. That was pretty cool.”

The Phoenix Mercury — not the only WNBA team that cut Quigley in the early, trying days of her career — did miss some bunnies. At the other end, Quigley, with the Sky since 2013, soared. With the Sky down 11 at the 9:14 mark, she drained a deep three. Then another 34 seconds later to cut the deficit to five. In all, she poured in 11 points in the quarter — a three-time All-Star’s finest hour.

Until Monday, arguably. Just chilling — “enjoying doing nothing,” as she put it — was sublime.

“We picked up our dog,” she said. “We haven’t seen our dog much because we’ve been in hotels and traveling and practicing. It was so nice to hang out with the dog and just kind of reminisce, think about the game and let it sink in.”

Gemini, a French bulldog, is 5. We can neither confirm nor deny that the trusty pooch was glued to a television when the magic happened at Wintrust Arena.

For the record, Quigley spent approximately zero time thinking about attempting to defend the Sky’s first title.

“No,” she said. “Definitely not. I mean, that’s the last thing I’m thinking about right now. I didn’t think about that once.”

The glory was too fresh, too sweet. And Quigley was too hungry. The nervousness and stress of the whole playoff run — especially the Finals — made it hard for her to eat. All the Sky had exit physicals Monday. Quigley’s ran longer than she would’ve liked, but she was pretty much A-OK.

“Just emotionally and physically tired,” she said.

It’s no wonder. Some time to check out from the grind and do nothing — totally nothing fun, a parade notwithstanding — is just what the doctor ordered.

JUST SAYIN’

The preseason AP Top 25 college basketball poll is out, with Illinois ranked 11th. In a related development, someone you know was roped in as a new voter this season and also ranked the Illini at No. 11. I also had 10 of the top 11 teams in common with my fellow voters on the whole. Of this, I am not particularly proud.

Preseason polls are the epitome of predictiveness. Don’t buy into them much until the games are happening and there’s actual evidence with which to contend. And even then don’t buy into them too much because, let’s face it, most voters — beat writers, which I’m not — are blind to the big picture while they fixate, necessarily, on specific teams and miss most of what’s happening around the country.

I’m a nut for college ball — best teams, best games — and will do my best to get it right. Unless the AP kicks me to the curb for being too honest about how the sausage is made.

o Illinois football coach Bret Bielema publicly eviscerated former coach Lovie Smith and his own offensive linemen Monday.

“I don’t believe we have a player in the two-deep that they’ve recruited here over the last three years that is really significantly doing anything for us in the playing department,” the first-year coach said, “and that’s a major concern.”

Bielema also ripped his quarterbacks in what seemingly is an ongoing effort to distance himself from Smith’s recruiting. By the way, Smith’s recruiting was poor at best; Bielema didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. But should he have said it for all the world to hear?

I’ll take the 2-5 Illini to finish 2-10, sadly.

o You’re Kyle Schwarber. The Cubs kind of broke your heart, but you went to Washington with a great attitude and killed it. But the Nationals couldn’t hang in the playoff picture and sent you away, so you went to Boston, took a roller coaster ride, reached the American League Championship Series and started hitting grand slams.

What an adventure for a great dude.

o The gambling sites are listing the Bulls at right around 43 wins. Take the over. You can thank me later.

Read More

A man was shot dead Oct. 19, 2021, in West Garfield Park. | Adobe File Photo

The 66-year-old was walking about 7:50 a.m. in the 4600 block of West Van Buren Street when a white van pulled up and someone inside opened fire, Chicago police said.

A man was killed in a shooting Tuesday morning in West Garfield Park.

The 66-year-old was walking about 7:50 a.m. in the 4600 block of West Van Buren Street when a white van pulled up and someone inside opened fire, Chicago police said.

The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His identity has not been released.

Area Four detectives are investigating.

Read More

The Chicago Sky will soon board buses to celebrate the teams WMBA Championship with a parade and rally downtown. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

The Chicago Sky, reigning WNBA champions, will be honored at a parade in the Loop and rally ending at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

For the first time in five years, Chicago has a professional sports team worth celebrating. And on Tuesday, that’s what the city plans to do.

The Chicago Sky, reigning WNBA champions, will be honored at a parade in the Loop and rally ending at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

“The city of Chicago could not be prouder of our winning Chicago Sky,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “We are thrilled to throw a celebration worthy of this historic moment in Chicago sports and congratulate the Sky for bringing our city its first WNBA title.”

Madeline Kenney/Sun-Times
Inside the Pritzker Pavilion

The Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74 Sunday at Wintrust Arena. The win made the Sky the first Chicago sports team to win a title since the Cubs won it all in 2016, ending a centurylong drought. The Sky were also the first team to win a championship at home since the Blackhawks in 2015.

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. when the Sky leave Wintrust Arena and head north on Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Randolph Street. The entourage will go east on Randolph to Pritzker Pavilion.

Street closures will begin after 10 a.m. on Indiana Avenue from 21st Street to Cermak Road. Michigan Avenue will reopen as soon as the championship motorcade passes.

The rally will begin at noon and is free and open to the public. There will be a security screening at entrances to the Pavilion on Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street.

COVID-19 vaccination is not required for fans to attend, but the city highly encourages it. The Pritzker Pavilion will be open to fans beginning at 10 a.m.

Read More