CHICAGO (AP) — DeWanna Bonner had 15 points and nine rebounds to lead the Connecticut to a 68-63 win over the Chicago Sky in Game 1 of their WNBA semifinals series on Sunday night.
Jonquel Jones scored 12 points and also grabbed nine rebounds for the Sun, Alyssa Thomas had 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Brionna Jones added 12 points. Jonquel Jones was 5 for 8 from the field and Brionna Jones shot 6 for 8.
Candace Parker had 19 points and 18 rebounds for the Sky, and Kahleah Copper scored 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting.
Game 2 is back here Wednesday night.
After Emma Meeseman’s 3-pointer with 2:12 remaining gave Chicago a 63-62 lead and whipped the Wintrust Arena crowd into a frenzy, Jonquel Jones scored inside 27 seconds later to put the Sun back ahead.
Bonner made two free throws with 1:31 left to extend the lead, and Connecticut got two offensive rebounds to kill some time off the clock, and Bonner made a layup with 3.8 seconds left to seal the win.
Chicago missed its last four shots after Meeseman’s go-ahead 3-pointer.
Connecticut outscored Chicago 20-12 in the third quarter as Natisha Hiedeman and Bonner made 3s and Bonner hit a pull-up jumper to move into double figures.
Parker strung a slick pass to Copper in transition for her first bucket since the first quarter to pull Chicago within four points with 8:47 left.
Copper knocked down a pair of free throws to nudge Chicago in front with 5:13 to go, shortly before she and Courtney Williams received double technical fouls for refusing to let go of a called jump ball.
Copper went 4 of 4 and hit a 3 for 11 points in the first half as the teams entered the break tied at 34.
Connecticut built an eight-point first quarter lead by scoring 11 points off six Chicago turnovers, but the Sky climbed back into it as Copper and Parker combined for 18-first half points.
Jones hit 3 of 4 shots to lead Connecticut with eight points and snagged four rebounds and two steals in a first half that had seven lead changes and five ties.
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