Aces take big lead early, fall to short-handed Sky

LV’S new WNBA team drops to 1-5 with defeat

CHICAGO— Cheyenne Parker had 20 points and 13 rebounds — both career highs — and Jamierra Faulkner hit a late 3-pointer to help the short-handed Chicago Sky beat the Las Vegas Aces 95-90 on Sunday.

Rookie Diamond Deshields scored a season-high 25 points and Courtney Vandersloot had season highs with 15 points and 11 assists for the Sky (3-3), who snapped a three-game skid.

Faulkner finished with a season-best 17 points, including a career-high-tying three 3-pointers — all in the fourth quarter.

Dearica Hamby hit a 3-pointer to pull Las Vegas (1-5) within one with a minute to go, but Vandersloot hit Faulkner for her final 3 to make it 94-90 and Deshields stole a pass, was fouled and hit one of two free throws to cap the scoring with 36.3 seconds left.

The Sky, who trailed by as many as 15 points, shot just 15.8 percent (3 of 19) in the first quarter. But Chicago scored 33 points in the second, its highest-scoring quarter of the season, and outscored the Aces 28-16 in the third.

Hamby scored a career-high 24 points, on 11-of-13 shooting, and A’ja Wilson added 22 points for Las Vegas.

Chicago’s Stefanie Dolson and Allie Quigley — the team’s leading scorer at 19.3 point per game — missed the game with injuries to their foot and hip, respectively.

The Aces return to action at noon Friday with a game against the Atlanta Dream at Mandalay Bay Events Center.