{"id":637746,"date":"2026-05-12T02:58:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T02:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/637746\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T02:58:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T02:58:09","slug":"sky-face-first-true-playoff-caliber-test-against-valkyries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/637746\/","title":{"rendered":"Sky face first true playoff-caliber test against Valkyries"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Beating the Fire in their regular-season opener<\/a> Saturday was a good sign for the Sky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sure, the Fire are an expansion franchise that won\u2019t sniff the playoffs this season, but you don\u2019t scoff at any victories if you\u2019re the Sky. Not when you scraped together only 10 of them last season. Not when four of your top eight players were watching in street clothes.<\/p>\n

You can earn a few stripes beating a bad team while short-handed, but you really earn your credentials by beating good teams.<\/p>\n

The Sky will get their shot Wednesday night against the Valkyries. Another sell-out crowd. Another hostile environment. The first real chance to prove they belong in the playoff conversation.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s plenty to worry about till then.<\/p>\n

The second half against the Fire offered a few warning signs. Shooters left wide-open in transition. Point guards dribbling the length of the court without anyone stepping up to stop them.<\/p>\n

At practice Monday, coach Tyler Marsh called it \u2018\u2018coverage slippage\u2019\u2019 that needed to be cleaned up.<\/p>\n

It will need to be squeaky clean against the Valkyries, who are well-coached, on a mission and dangerous at every position. Their backup center, Janelle Salaun, makes it rain from three-point range in ways most Sky starters don\u2019t. Guards Veronica Burton and Gabby Williams make a living by getting into the paint.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018A lot of their offense is based on engaging two,\u2019\u2019 Sky guard Natasha Cloud told the Sun-Times. \u2018\u2018Coming off ball screens [and] engaging two defenders, and they\u2019re really great at [making the extra pass]. As much as we can, we\u2019ve got to guard our yard and take pride in our individual defense so that we\u2019re not coming into our secondary and third level of help.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Having a versatile defender such as Cloud back certainly will help. But the Valkyries\u2019 offense challenges the two weak points of the Sky\u2019s defense last season: containing dribble penetration and defending the three-point arc. Time to show that this season is different.<\/p>\n

Sky players and coaches keep pointing to the athleticism, quickness and length on the revamped roster as reasons to believe they can be better defensively. Those are solid ingredients, but they won\u2019t come together without a recipe. Does Marsh have one?<\/p>\n

Wednesday will give us a clue.<\/p>\n

For now, there\u2019s enough from the Fire game for Marsh to feel good about.<\/p>\n

The offense looked cohesive. The Skylar Diggins\/Kamilla Cardoso pick-and-roll was cooking. And when the Sky looked as though they were about to throw away a lead \u2014 like they did so often last season \u2014 they said, \u2018\u2018No, we\u2019re not doing that. Not this time.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

This season, they have Diggins\u2019 leadership to fall back on, someone to step up and make a big three-pointer \u2014 not even her specialty \u2014 in the fourth quarter, then throw her head back, stick her tongue out and let the crowd know the party is over.<\/p>\n

The Sky also got a clutch performance from veteran center Elizabeth Williams, who came off the bench to deliver blocks and buckets when it mattered most.<\/p>\n

Those are foundational elements to build on.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018We\u2019ve got to come with the same level of focus and be able to clean up the areas that we need to but also stay true to the things that we did well coming out of Portland,\u2019\u2019 Marsh said.<\/p>\n

Clean it up and stay true. The Valkyries are waiting.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Sky<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fire erased a 13-point deficit in the second half, but Skylar Diggins and Elizabeth Williams helped the Sky regain control late.<\/p>\n

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read<\/p>\n

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\"New<\/p>\n

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Cloud didn\u2019t play in the regular season opener, but coach Tyler Marsh hopes she\u2019ll be ready by Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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\"Sky<\/p>\n

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The second-year coach has shown he can utilize players creatively. Now the Sky need him to develop their skill sets, too.<\/p>\n

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