Angel Reese’s ferocious and boards-crashing instinct, combined with Hailey Van Lith’s fearless floor-stretching game, gave the Chicago Sky a much-needed spark on June 15. In her rookie season, Van Lith broke out in a career-high 16-point performance off the bench against the Connecticut Sun, bringing Reese to lavish praise on her on social media.
Van Lith’s stellar effort was complemented by a historic one from Reese, who recorded her first WNBA triple-double, as the Sky cruised past the Sun 78-66 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The duo’s moves were pivotal in giving Chicago its first win after losing the last three games.
Sky’s Angel Reese Cheers As Hailey Van Lith Shines in 78–66 Win Over Sun
Van Lith provided her highest scoring leadership for Chicago, as she came in to knock down 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in just 24 minutes in a bench role. She snatched five rebounds, dealt one assist, and marked one block in a super productive performance. Her execution shone bright during key moments, from timely knockdown mid-range jumpers to high-octane layup finishes that almost leveled the Sky bench.
Meanwhile, Reese’s message on Instagram, specifically aimed at Van Lith, was short but sweet. She expressed her pride in Van Lith with the caption, “Proud of you ROOK.”
The game was a tightly contested one. Connecticut raced out to a quick lead. But Chicago kept pushing their opponents into a deficit. The Sky were up 38-36 at the half, helped along by a flawless night by their very own rookie.
Despite trailing most of the game, Chicago continued to battle and took the lead with 21-18 in the third quarter, entering the fourth with a score of 59-54. Van Lith’s driving layups made it a double-digit margin, and the Sky held onto their lead the rest of the way.
Through seven games in her rookie campaign, Van Lith is averaging 3.7 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 32.0% shooting from the field and 12.5% from three. Though those numbers represent a small sample size, her play as of late has indicated that she is beyond capable of handling the increased load, particularly when the Chicago Sky needs to ruffle their opponent’s feathers and clinch a win.
As Van Lith may have justified her high-scoring evening, Reese joined the action as the second-youngest player in WNBA history to record a triple-double (11 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists).
Hailey Van Lith — CAREER HIGH!
• 16 points
• 5 rebounds
• 6/8 FG— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 15, 2025
The win against the Sun not only improved the Sky to 3-7, but it also stopped Chicago’s disastrous three-game losing streak. Chicago now heads back home where they host the Washington Mystics on June 17, looking to continue the momentum built from having Reese’s historic night, followed by Van Lith’s breakout.
From there, they’ll get another chance to beat the Phoenix through a rematch on June 21. In their previous encounter, the Sky fell to the Mercury 94-89 on May 27.
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As Chicago seeks consistency, the Reese–Van Lith chemistry could prove decisive on-court in the future. Van Lith’s career-high performance against the Sun signals a promising rookie trajectory. Now, the Sky aims to turn close contests into wins to elevate their standings this season.