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The teen was sitting in a parked vehicle about 11:45 p.m. in the 3100 block of West 38th Place when someone in a black sedan opened fire, police said.
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Sep 27, 2021, 12:36am CDT
James Wade has coached in some memorable games in Minneapolis, including the 2017 WNBA Finals when he was part of Cheryl Reeve’s coaching staff.
Ahead of Sunday’s second-round playoff game against the third-seeded Lynx, Wade said he hadn’t put too much thought into coaching against Reeve in the playoffs for the first time. After leading his team to an 89-76 win against the Lynx and the Sky’s first semifinal appearance since 2016 Wade had some thoughts.
“[This game ranks] really high,” Wade said. “I would say at the top. Professionally, this is the greatest gift I’ve been given leading the Sky.”
The Sky came into a rocking Target Center.
Part of the team’s game plan was being aggressive in the paint and they succeeded in that through all four quarters. In the Sky’s last meeting with the Lynx, Azura Stevens had five points on three shot attempts. The Sky needed more from her Sunday and they got it.
Stevens had no problem backing down 2021 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Sylvia Fowles in the paint. She finished with 15 points on 44% shooting and had eight rebounds. She played a critical role in limiting the Lynx to just six offensive rebounds.
Courtney Vandersloot led the Sky’s balanced attack that had five Sky players score in double figures, none of whom were Candace Parker who had eight points and four rebounds. Vandersloot finished with 19 points, five assists and five rebounds. Kahleah Copper had a double-double scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 boards. Allie Quigley added 11 points and Diamond DeShields had 14 on 80% shooting.
The Sky outscored the Lynx 48-32 in the paint.
“They know who they are,” Reeve said. “They were so persistent in their identity and we could break that.”
All season the Sky have struggled to put a complete game together. Following their first-round game against the Wings, Wade said he was happy with everything but his team’s third-quarter performance.
Against the Lynx, the Sky played a complete game, winning every quarter except the first which they lost by one point.
Clicking at the right time has been the message the Sky have preached since the Olympic break. The first two rounds of the playoffs are proof that they are.
“We have talented players,” Wade said. “And maybe they go somewhere else and can do more but they are bought in to everybody stepping up for their moment.”
Fowles was honored before the game with her fourth WNBA DPOY award, joining Tamika Catchings as the only player in league history to win it four or more times.
The Sky struggled to limit her touches in the first half but had her number in the second. She finished with 17 points and eight rebounds and fouled out of the game in the fourth quarter.
Aerial Powers came up big for the Lynx finishing with 24 points. Powers led a Lynx run that cut the Sky’s lead to four in the fourth quarter. Quigley responded with a three in the corner off the assist from Vandersloot. The Sky had an answer for every Lynx attempt to cut their lead.
Next, the Sky will head to Connecticut to play the No. 1 Sun in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals on Sept. 28. The Sun boasts the best defensive rating in the league through the regular season with four of their players named to the WNBA’s all-defensive first or second team.
If the Sky can continue to involve all of their offensive weapons, the Sun will be forced to pick their poison.
“We’re exactly where we want to be playing the best basketball of the season,” Vandersloot said.
After the Bears’ debacle against the Browns, Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser and Mark Potash break down Matt Nagy’s mistakes, Justin Fields’ performance and just how far the Bears have to go to improve.
New episodes of “Halas Intrigue” will be published regularly with accompanying stories collected on the podcast’s hub page. You can also listen to “Halas Intrigue” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Luminary, Spotify, and Stitcher.
CLEVELAND — All kinds of emotions enwrapped Odell Beckham Jr. from the moment he sprinted out of the tunnel to a roaring ovation.
A few hours later, he had nothing left.
“Exhausted,” Beckham said, sliding into a chair for his postgame news conference. “I lost my voice and I wasn’t even screaming, so I don’t know what happened. I’m exhausted. It’s time to go home.”
Almost 11 months since his 2020 season ended in Cincinnati with a knee injury that cost him a playoff appearance and sparked debate about his value, Beckham returned to the field Sunday, He made an immediate impact as the Browns thrashed the Bears 26-6.
Beckham caught five passes from Baker Mayfield for 77 yards, added 10 yards rushing and provided a glimpse of what he could mean going forward for Cleveland’s offense — a scoring threat from anywhere on the field.
For Beckham, the grueling rehab sessions, the hours of weight-room work and the dedication paid off. His comeback’s complete — at last. But there were a few times he felt overwhelmed by its ending.
“There has been so much made of the first game back,” he said. “I try to downplay it but everyone else close to you and the people around you, the whole kind of vibe. You are trying not to think about it and then it gets put on you.
“I came out and tried not to go crazy in warmup or anything. Just get my legs underneath me. I got to the game, and I swear I just felt like each play I could not get them underneath me. A lot of things to look at the film and improve on, and that is all we can do.”
Although it may not have reached his high standards, Beckham’s first game since Oct. 25 impressed his teammates.
“He’s back like he never left,” said running back Kareem Hunt, who had 155 yards and a 26-yard touchdown run. “I told him that. He looked great out there. Looking forward to seeing many more.”
Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett said Beckham had every right to be worn out.
“He’s more tired than me,” said Garrett, who recorded a career-high 4 1/2 sacks. “He looked good. You saw him, those hands are immaculate and the guy’s a hell of a route runner, so just love being able to watch him.”
One play before Beckham’s first reception — a 13-yard grab, appropriately matching his jersey number — he was pulled down from behind on an incomplete pass. It was the 28-year-old’s first significant contact in a game since being hurt last year, and for a second he feared he might be injured again.
“Needed it,” said of the contact. “First hit came on a pass that I did not catch, and my shoulder popped out. I was like, all right of course something like that would happen. It was good to feel that and get back into it.
“The game went on, and it was a little bit smoother.”
Later, he was asked to clarify what happened to his shoulder and what he meant about not having his legs.
“Football stuff. Shoulder pop out, put it back in, keep playing,” Beckham said. “Like I was saying, it’s like a boxer who you can’t get your legs underneath you, you don’t have the same bounce. It’s not a lack of explosion or anything like that, it’s just that first-game emotions, energy, everything kinda running through you.”
Beckham was hyped before his hyped return.
He took the field for pregame warmups wearing gold-colored headphones and a Jarvis “Juice” Landry” T-shirt to honor his injured teammate and close friend, who went on injured reserve last week with a sprained knee.
“I had the shirt before any incident went down, I was going to wear it regardless, but it just seemed fitting,” he said.
At one point before the game, Beckham jumped into the first rows of seats to celebrate with his brother, who had flown into see him play.
“It was amazing,” Beckham said. “We just kind of embraced each other like the moment we’ve talked about this whole 10 1/2 months and it’s finally here.”
When Beckham went down last year, the Browns took off and made the playoffs without him. His absence spawned theories that Mayfield is better off not having Beckham.
But the two worked on their chemistry during the offseason and Beckham said he felt the connection in his return.
“We hit a couple throws, things I could definitely work on,” he said. “Glad to get that one out the way.”
A 26-year-old man was charged with attempted murder in connection with a shooting that wounded a Chicago police officer and two people Friday in South Shore on the South Side.
Aaron Jenkins was charged with two felony counts of attempted first degree murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm, Chicago police said.
A 30-year-old officer was on patrol late Friday when she heard the gunfire and rushed to the 1900 block of East 72nd Place, where she saw a person lying in the middle of the street, police said.
The officer was getting out of her squad car to render aid when additional shots were fired, striking her in the legs, police said. She got back into her squad car and another officer took her to University of Chicago Medical Center.
Police released few details of the shooting, but said it happened around 10:50 p.m. as Third District officers were responding to a call and found a 25-year-old man on the ground.
The 25-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead, police said. A 15-year-old boy also found at the scene was shot in the legs and was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition.
Jenkins was taken into custody Saturday in the 7200 block of South Jeffery Boulevard, after being identified as the person who allegedly fired shots, police said.
He is due in bond court Monday.
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