Sylvia Fowles' aggressive play inside is making the difference for the Chicago Sky.
Fowles scored 13 points, including a go-ahead inside basket late, to help the Chicago Sky to a 61-59 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
Fowles also grabbed 11 rebounds for her sixth straight double double, blocked a late layup attempt from Crystal Langhorne, and generally set the tone for a hard-fought win to pull the Sky (11-11) to .500 for the first time in 14 games.
Dominique Canty scored 11 points and Jia Perkins added 10 for Chicago, which won three straight for the first time since it won four in a row from May 27 and June 5.
Langhorne, who entered with double doubles in five of her past seven games, scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Marissa Coleman added 11 points as Washington lost its second straight for the first time since late May and fell to 7-2 at home.
Mystics coach Julie Plank chose to focus on two more upcoming home games this week after just their second game in 15 days.
"We're getting back into playing more games, which I like," Plank said. "We've got to be ready for a hungry Atlanta team on Wednesday."
After three lead changes in the fourth quarter, Fowles blocked an inside layup attempt from Langhorne, and then a minute later took Erin Thorn's inside feed and muscled in a layup to put the Sky up 59-58 with 1:20 to play.
"We knew what they wanted to do," Chicago coach Steven Key said. "And everybody knew what we wanted to do. Sylvia stepped up, she made the right shot, and down on other end, she sets a presence under the basket."
After Chicago went ahead, Lindsey Harding had a layup blocked by Catherine Kraayeveld and Katie Smith missed a long jumper for Washington.
Thorn's free throws for Chicago made it 61-58 with 7 seconds left. Harding was fouled shooting a 3 with 2 seconds left, but missed two of three foul shots.
Washington had trailed by eight points at halftime, but took a 54-53 lead after Langhorne's jumper capped a 10-1 run with 7:55 to play.
The Mystics later stetched it to 58-55 on Nakia Sanford's baseline jumper with 3:08 to play before Fowles answered with a putback to cut the deficit to one.
Chicago finishes the season series with two wins in four games against the Mystics, but must still jump a spot in the standings to secure the conference's fourth playoff spot.
"Physically I think we're fine," Fowles said. "Mentally, I think we need to catch up. Just because it's been a lot for us and it's been an up-and-down season."
SOURCE: The Associated Press
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