Chicago Sky Offseason Update #30: Simply the Best
Fener and new-arrival Nikolina Milić continue to reign supreme in Europe--at the expense of Marina Mabrey, Elizabeth Williams and Mersin.
Çukurova Mersin’s ambition is undoubted. Signing WNBA stars like Elizabeth Williams, Marina Mabrey and Kahleah Copper while complementing them with European superstars like Alina Iagupova and Stephanie Mavunga clearly shows that the club are serious about sitting at Europe’s top table when it comes to women’s basketball. And while they’ve certainly settled nicely into a seat at that table, you can’t sit at the head of it until you beat Fenerbahçe. With the exclusion of Russian sides like Ekaterinburg and Spartak Moscow from the EuroLeague, Fener have emerged as the clear destination for the best talent in Europe (Emma Meesseman) and America (Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot) in recent years. As a result, it takes a nearly perfect game to beat the reigning Turkish and European champions and their latest super team. Sky players like Dana Evans (0-2), Michaela Onyenwere (0-2) and Lindsay Allen (0-4) have all tried this season but only Robyn Parks (1-1) has actually managed to beat Fenerbahçe. And the Chicago players aren’t alone in this respect. Entering last week’s EuroLeague semifinals, Fener were 51-2 in all competitions this season with Marina Mabrey and Mersin (0-5) also seeking their first win against them. Let’s dive into the recaps of the teams’ sixth and seventh meetings of the season in the EuroLeague semis and Game 3 of the KBSL Finals.
This Week’s Biggest Stories
1. Mersin Cut Down by Fenerbahçe in EuroLeague & KBSL
After two lopsided losses in the opening games of the KBSL Finals, it looked like Marina Mabrey and Mersin were in for an uphill challenge in the EuroLeague semifinals last Friday. Yet, even in a game where Fener produced otherworldly 53/54/100 splits, Mersin were able to keep pace up until the game’s final three minutes when Fener put some separation between the sides. The statistics, too, bear out what the eye test suggested: this was a very tight game. The teams were virtually inseparable in every key metric—except three-point shooting. And for that difference, Fener can thank Kayla McBride whose 5/6 night did the majority of the heavy lifting for her team’s overall 8/15 mark. Mersin hit 3 of their first 5 shots from three—with Mabrey making 2/3, but the efficiency tailed off from there as she made just 1 of her final 7 and Mersin slumped to a 2/20 mark in the final three quarters and change. Even then, Mersin kept things close with their energy on defense as Mabrey grabbed 4 steals and blocked 2 shots while Kahleah Copper performed brilliantly despite long stretches marking the more physically imposing Napheesa Collier. Ultimately, the flood gates broke open when, after tying the game at 76 with 4:29 to go, Mersin failed to score for the next 3:17. During that stretch, Fener made all but one of the 5 shots they got off and the only ‘miss’ was a blocked shot out of bounds which led to a McBride three on the ensuing baseline inbound.
After that heartbreaking 89-80 loss on Friday, Mersin had little time to lick their wounds before Sunday’s third place game against Praha—who lost Friday’s first semifinal in upset fashion to Villeneuve d'Ascq. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the Czech side blitzed Mersin, who looked to have run out gas, early on and never looked in danger after a 27-18 edge in the first quarter. Mabrey, who exerted as much energy as anyone in Friday’s defeat, finished with 6 assists and just 3 points as Praha coasted to a 95-67 win.
Back in action against Fener in Game 3 of the best-of-five KBSL Finals on Wednesday, Mersin slumped to a fifth straight defeat which saw their season end with a sweep in the Turkish league finals. It was a close contest for much of the opening half with a series of Mersin surges keeping them within touching distance, but Fener simply left them in the dust with a 24-12 third. Fatigue has been a factor for Mersin for some time, and it seemed to rear its head once again—with the short rotation they ran during the roster’s transformation in the middle of the season rearing its head at the season’s key moments. Mabrey, who played more minutes than any other Mersin player this season, has seen her efficiency suffer considerably and ended with 12 points on 5/14 field goals plus 6 assists in the season finale (her creative game has weathered the storm well). Williams, having sat out of the EuroLeague fixtures, presumably would’ve been slightly fresher but finished a point shy of a double-double (9 p, 13 r) on a largely forgettable (3/16 FG) night.
While their season ended with no silverware after a trio of losses to Fener in the three competitions they face them in, Mabrey and Williams’ chemistry certainly made important strides during the European season—with their pick-and-roll tandem sure to be something Teresa Weatherspoon can depend upon in Chicago this WNBA season. Mabrey finished with averages of 19, 6 and 5 on 42/36/83 shooting splits in 43 games across the KBSL and EuroLeague seasons while Williams finished with averages of 13, 7 and 3 plus 3.5 stocks per game and a 52% mark from the floor.
2. New Arrival Milić + Fener Complete Trophy Haul with EL Repeat
On Sunday, Fenerbahçe added a EuroLeague title to complete their 2023-24 treble—which also included the aforementioned KBSL title and a win over Mersin in the Turkish Cup. Milić, who was traded to the Sky in the hours before Sunday’s final, is not expected to play in the 2024 WNBA season. However, it’s worth noting the Serbian’s impressive form—which culminated with a series of strong performances at the end of Fener’s historic season. In Friday’s EuroLeague semifinal, Milić registered a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds on 6/11 FG while adding a make from three-point land and 4 assists. She followed that up with a similarly impressive effort in Sunday’s final (which Fener won 106-73) where she finished with 16 points (5/5 FG, 6/7 FT), 4 boards and 3 steals. While Fener clinched the KBSL title in the aforementioned win over Mersin on Wednesday, Milić did not play due to her side’s considerable depth.
For the season, Milić finished with averages of 13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in 24 minutes per game with 58/35/76 shooting splits in 25 games across the KBSL and EuroLeague. There’s no official confirmation that her plans to skip the WNBA season remain in place after the trade to Chicago, but Milić’s next action will likely be with Serbia at the Olympic Games in Paris this July.
3. Parks + Schio Close in on Top Seed in LBF Playoffs
Robyn Parks—whose Sky future remains uncertain even after Monday’s draft—and Schio coasted to a dominant victory on Sunday after a 24-8 first quarter edge put Battipaglia away early. Parks finished with 6 points, 5 boards and 4 assists in just 25 minutes of the 101-51 victory which, once again, allowed coach George Dikeoulakos to work through his bench—with 9 players getting 18 or more minutes. Schio were back in action Wednesday and secured the second seed in the Italian playoffs with a 90-68 win over Roma where Parks aided her side’s recovery from an early deficit with 8 points on 3/5 FG and 2/3 3PT.
Parks and Schio will finish the regular season on Sunday against Milan before the playoffs, where they’ll likely face either Roma or Sassari, begin next week. With Parks the sole remaining Sky player in offseason action, this is the last of this season’s overseas updates. For further coverage of Parks’ playoff exploits with Schio, you can follow me on Twitter where I’ll provide updates on her team’s progress through the playoffs. As always, you can find a full schedule of overseas games plus TV listings in this article which is updated on a regular basis during the Sky offseason.