NEW YORK — Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon knew the questions that awaited her Thursday ahead of the Sky’s game against the Liberty. It was her first game coaching against the team with which she won two Defensive Player of the Year awards and became a five-time WNBA All-Star. And it also was an opportunity for the Sky to take another step forward.
They didn’t just step. They leaped, handing the Liberty their first loss of the season, 90-81 at Barclays Center.
“I know those fans in there,” Weatherspoon said. “I know a lot of faces. There’s a connection. To see jersey No. 11 being worn and signs held up, it sent me back to my first time walking on that floor and playing in front of that amazing crowd.”
Guard Marina Mabrey led the Sky (2-1) with 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Forward Angel Reese added 13 points and nine rebounds, and guard Dana Evans finished with 12 points and four assists. It was another balanced performance, with five Sky players scoring in double figures.
“We wanted this for [Weatherspoon] more than anything,” Evans said afterward.
Weatherspoon and Sky assistant Crystal Robinson, who played for the Liberty from 1999 to 2005, were honored with tribute videos during the game. Both are members of the Liberty’s Ring of Honor.
“We’re competitors,” Robinson said before the game. “We love the Liberty. We’re happy to be back here, but nothing will make us happier than to come in here and win.”
In less than a month playing under Weatherspoon, the Sky have adopted her mentality for ferocious defense. They disrupted set plays from the opening tip, scoring 19 points off 14 turnovers and outscoring the Liberty 46-36 in the paint.
“We trust one another and our staff,” Evans said. “So we lean on each other. The trust starts, but us going out there and executing makes it better.”
Thursday’s performance was especially impressive because the Sky were missing three key players with injuries: guard Diamond DeShields, forward Isabelle Harrison and center Kamilla Cardoso. Less than two weeks into the season, the victory raises the question of whether this team has been underestimated.
“Keep us at 12th [in the projections],” Reese said. “We’re cool at 12. We’re going to keep working and surprise ourselves before we surprise others.”
A sellout crowd of 12,049 watched the game. Weatherspoon and Robinson recalled competing regularly in front of 17,000 or more at Madison Square Garden. The WNBA has changed since their playing days, but both see a connection to the past.
“It’s like any business that goes up and down,” Robinson said. “But [after] 25 years of hard work, the kids coming out right now are benefiting from the platform that so many people built.”
