Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones had 12 points in Sunday night’s playoff win over Chicago.
The Connecticut Sun had just used a 14-2 run to close out the third quarter and take an eight-point lead on the defending WNBA champion Chicago Sky in game one of Sunday night’s WNBA semifinal in Chicago.
But the Sky responded like the champions they are with an 11-2 surge to take a one-point lead with 5:13 remaining.
Two-time league MVP Candace Parker was doing everything she could to carry the Sky over the finish line. She had a game-high 18 points and a game-high 18 rebounds along with five assists, four steals and six blocked shots.
But the Sun were not willing to lose. Jonquel Jones scored on a baseline shot with 1:45 remaining and Connecticut pulled down some crucial offensive rebounds in the final 90 seconds to take game one of the best-of-5 series, 68-63.
Game two is Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Chicago on ESPN 2. Game three will be Sunday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Dewanna Bonner led the Sun with 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists while Alyssa Thomas had 12 points, 10 rebounds and a team-high seven assists. Brionna Jones had 12 points and three rebounds off the bench.
Kahleah Copper had 13 points for the Sky while Emma Messerman had 10 points. Sky guards Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot combined to score 12 points and they were a combined 5-of-18 from the floor.
Chicago had a one-point lead, 63-62 with 2:11 remaining when a wide-open Messerman hit a three-point shot. Jonquel Jones put the Sun back on top with a driving, bank shot off the glass with 1:45 left off an assist from Thomas.
Copper’s three-point shot with 1:31 was off the rim and Bonner pulled down the rebound and was fouled. Bonner sank two three throws to push the lead to three points, 66-63.
Parker tried to cut into the lead but Jonquel Jones got a hand on the shot and it deflected to Bonner. Jones missed on a basket with 47.3 seconds left but pulled down the offensive rebound.
Bonner threw up a shot as the shot clock expired with 30.6 seconds left but Natasha Hiedeman got the rebound. The Sun didn’t get another shot off before the shot clock expired but they left the Sky with just 17.1 seconds left.
Parker’s three-point shot with 7.1 seconds left missed, Thomas ripped down the rebound and fed a streaking Bonner, who scored with 3.8 seconds to secure the win.
The win ended Chicago’s six-game winning streak over the Sun that began in last year’s WNBA semifinals and went through the entire season with the Sky sweeping all four regular season games.
Connecticut gave up just two field goals to the Sky in the final 5:13 of the contest, outscoring Chicago, 12-6.
“We hang our hat on defense,” Bonner said. “When we can play defense like that, we’re comfortable. We’re confident we can pull out any game.”
Miller was pleased to see his team regroup and survive.
“We were rattled in the fourth quarter and our veterans settled down and made enough plays to win this game,” he said. “That is what this series against each other come downs — the last few minutes over and over again.”
In four previous games this season, Chicago had controlled the first quarter, forcing the Sun to play from behind. The Sun came close in two games but the Sky prevailed in the final minutes.
Connecticut played with purpose in the early minutes of Sunday’s game. Chicago took a quick 4-0 lead but the Sun went on an 11-0 run as the Sky went scoreless on six straight possessions. Sunday night. There would be no early run for the Sky.
“We had not thrown the first punch in the other four games and we got on our heels early,” Miller said. “We wanted to be the aggressor We wanted them to take the first time out. And that helped our confidence knowing that we could make (the game) messy.”
Chicago had leads but Connecticut kept the Sky within reach. An 8-2 run early in the third quarter gave Chicago a four-point lead, 44-40. But Bonner drained a three-pointer off an assist from Courtney Williams and Thomas scored on the baseline with 4:17 left in the third quarter to put the Sun back up by one, 45-44.
It was the beginning of a 14-2 run to close out the quarter for Connecticut.
“We defensive oriented,” Miller said. “We need those disruptions (defensively). We need points off turnovers to be successful. (Tonight),l we were efficient turning the turnovers into points.”
Players did what they could to win. Williams had a tough night shooting the basketball, going 3-for-12 from the floor. But she didn’t sulk. She raced after loose balls and had nine rebounds along with two assists.
Williams and Copper each got a technical foul with 5:13 remaining when they both grabbed a rebound and refused to yield. They were locked together on the floor ignoring calls from the referees to give up the ball.
Chicago’s Azura Stevens was impressed with Parker. “She was able to keep us alive. Whenever we needed a bucket, she answered and that was cool,” Stevens said.
Chicago coach James Wade was cool and calm in the post-game media session. “We’ll be OK,” he said several times. Sky guard Allie Quigley said, “You have to enforce your will have the game played the way you like it to be played.”
NOTES: The Sun are in the semifinals for the fourth straight season. … With 12 points in the contest, Thomas moved into first place all-time in post-season scoring in Connecticut Sun franchise history. She now has 385 points in 25 post-season contests. … Bonner moved into sixth all-time in WNBA post-season rebounding and sixth all-time in WNBA post-season steals. She now has 428 rebounds and 72 steals in 65 career playoff games
WNBA semifinals
(2) Chicago vs. (3) Connecticut
Sunday, Aug. 28
Connecticut 68, Chicago 63, Connecticut leads series, 1-0
Wednesday, Aug. 31
Connecticut at Chicago, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, September 4
Chicago at Connecticut, 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
Tuesday, Sept, 6
Chicago at Connecticut, TBA, if necessary
Thursday, Sept. 8
Connecticut at Chicago, TBA, if necessary
