VANDERSLOOT, PARKER LEAD SKY PAST SUN, INTO FINALS
Courtney Vandersloot scored 19 points and
Kahleah Copper added 18 to help the Chicago Sky beat the top-seeded Connecticut Sun 79-69 and advance to the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night in Chicago.
Chicago is back in the finals for the first time since 2014 despite finishing the regular season with a .500 record.
Candace Parker, who returned home to Chicago this season, finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
“It means so much. Looking up into the stands and seeing familiar faces,” Parker said of getting to the Finals with her hometown team. “I grew up playing in front of these people. It really is emotional. It’s not done yet. Sometimes you have to stop and think and appreciate this moment.”
The Sky, who held a seven-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, opened the period with an 8-2 run to put the game away.
Astou Ndour-Fall hit a layup under the basket with 4:41 remaining, pushing Chicago’s lead to 13 points. Parker then got the home crowd roaring after nailing a seven-footer, making the Sky’s victory all but official.
Jonquel Jones led the way for the Sun with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Natisha Hiedeman added 16 points off the bench, hitting five 3-pointers.
More WNBA
Chelsea Gray scored 22 points and La Jolla Country Day grad Kelsey Plum had 20 off the bench as the Las Vegas Aces beat the host Phoenix Mercury 93-76 to even their semifinal series at 2 games apiece.
NHL
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane is being investigated on allegations that he used a fake COVID-19 vaccination card.
A person familiar with the investigation says the league is looking into whether Kane submitted a fake card. The latest investigation was first reported by Front Office Sports.
Using a fake vaccination card is illegal in both the United States and Canada, as well as against NHL rules.
• Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme said he does not expect Carey Price, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus and is recovering from an illness, to practice before the start of the regular season, making it unlikely the star goaltender will be ready for next week’s
opener at Toronto.
• Center Quinton Byfield, the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, was placed on injured reserve by the Los Angeles Kings, a day after fracturing his left ankle in a preseason game.
Tennis
Sloane Stephens outlasted Heather Watson 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in her opening match at the BNP Paribas
Open.
Stephens won 7 of 18 break points She raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set before Watson held, then served out the win. Watson had seven aces and seven double faults on the hard courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
American Shelby Rogers, who upset top-ranked Ash Barty in the third round of the U.S. Open, was set to play Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine in a night match. Americans Madison Brengle, Madison Keys and qualifier Alycia Parks also played later.
Men’s main draw play begins today.
Motorsports
Jimmie Johnson’s “childhood dream come true” on Wednesday when he drove an Indy car on the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for the first time.
Next up the Indianapolis 500?
Not quite yet.
“I’m as close as I’ve ever been,” Johnson said. “The racer in me is taking a real serious look at this, but I still need to sit down and have that conversation at home.”
Also
Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert will have to face a disciplinary hearing with the New York Racing Association to address a suspension after a federal judge denied Baffert’s motion to hold the racing organization in contempt.
• Ferran Torres scored two goals as Spain ended Italy’s record unbeaten run of 37 matches by beating the European champion 2-1 in the Nations League semifinals after Roberto Mancini’s team was reduced to 10 men.
• The UCSD women’s volleyball team (6-10, 3-2) lost to visiting UC Irvine (11-4, 4-1), 25-15, 14-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-11, on Tuesday night in a Big West match, ending its winning streak at three.
• SDSU’s women’s volleyball team (5-12, 2-3) lost to visiting UNLV (13-3, 4-1), 2521, 25-21, 25-20, on Tuesday in a Mountain West match.