Chicagoans are walking with more love and pride for their city than usual, and the 2021 WNBA champion Chicago Sky is to blame.
Chicago loves champions and — most of all — we love a powerful comeback.
That’s exactly what put 10,378 fans at Wintrust Arena on the edge of their seats on Sunday when the fierce Phoenix Mercury had the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter with no plans on slowing down against the Sky.
Fans witnessed Allie Quigley of Joliet come in with back-to-back three-point shots to cut the nail-biting deficit down to five in the last 10 minutes. Then the reliable Courtney Vandersloot scored four points at a vital 23.4 seconds, followed by two smooth free throws that gave the Sky a six-point lead with 10.4 seconds left.
Teamwork and perseverance helped the Sky fight back in the fourth quarter to beat the = Mercury 80-74 in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals and secure the franchise’s first championship. And we, as for the rest of Chicago, are here to celebrate and recognize the team that worked for their “best of the best” title.
It’s a title that required contributions from everyone. From Candace Parker’s return home to James Wade’s leadership to Quigley’s and Vandersloot’s continued commitment to the organization to the growth of fan support for a team determined to win despite the highs and lows throughout the season.
Chicago will celebrate the 2021 WNBA champs on Tuesday with a parade and rally. Starting at 11 a.m. from Wintrust Arena, the team will travel down Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt to Randolph Street and will end with a rally at noon at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Go out and cheer on the new champions in town.
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