Washington, Sept. 9 (BUS): The Connecticut Sun has made no secret of its desire to exact revenge on Chicago in the WNBA Tag Team Semi-Final Series, especially after Sky sent them semi-final packages in 2021 while en route to the title.
“We come here every year and Chicago kicks us up,” Sun striker Deewana Bonner said of the skies, who have swept all four regular season encounters.
Connecticut State got the revenge it sought as Jonquil Jones earned 15 points and 10 rebounds and the Sun overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, defeating Sky 72-63 Thursday night in the crucial fifth game of the semifinal series and advancing to the WNBA Finals.
The Sun scored the last 18 points of the game to overcome a 63-54 delay with 4:46 remaining, according to The Associated Press.
All Sun players scored in double digits and Connecticut State advanced to the Finals for the third time overall and the first time since 2019.
Connecticut will face the WNBA title-seeded Las Vegas Ace. The first game of the series is on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Chicago was trying to become the first team to repeat the WNBA champion title since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02.
Jones scored inside to put the Sun ahead with two minutes left, and fired a subsequent free throw to take a three-point lead. Natisha Hedman tied the game with a throw-in transition with 2:24 remaining, while Connecticut State reduced their deficit in the fourth game.
Jumping out of the drag by Courtney Williams with 47.5 seconds left gave Sun a five-point protection, and DeWanna Bonner made four free throws to keep the game out of hand.
Connecticut State edged Chicago 25-5 in the fourth quarter, after recovering from a disastrous third spell during which he scored eight points and turned the ball more than seven times.
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