By Darnell Sallins
The anticipated and highly debated Rookie of the Year race was put to rest Friday night. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever faced off against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky for the final time in the regular season in Chicago. Clark and the Fever led the series 2-1 but Angel Reese was the talk last time these two teams faced off back in late June.
Reese had a career-day in that game back in June. Career-highs of 25 points and 16 rebounds and led a comeback as the Sky beat the Fever 88-87.
Well, Friday Caitlin Clark returned the favor and ended the conversation once and for all in an emphatic way.
Indiana completely owned the game from the second quarter to the end. The Sky held a three-point lead after the first quarter and Indiana outscored Chicago 77-55 the next three quarters. Caitlin Clark led the way for the Fever with a career-high of31 points on 8 for 14 shooting from the field and 5 for 9 on three-pointers. Clark also had 12 assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes of play. That was Clark's 11th double-double of the season. Guard Kelsey Mitchell added 23 points in a 100-81 win in Chicago.
Angel Reese had another double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, breaking a tie with Tina Charles for double-doubles by a rookie with her 23rd of the season but it was overshadowed by the performance of Clark. The Fever win the regular season series over the Sky with 3 wins to 1 win for the Sky.
Since the Olympic Break, the Indiana Fever have been red hot while the Chicago Sky found themselves struggling. The Fever are 5-1 and currently sits in the 6th spot. While the Sky are 1-6 since the break and sits in the 8th spots only a game above the Atlanta Dream.
Caitlin Clark has slammed the door on the much-hyped Rookie of the Year debate. It is great what Angel Reese is doing as far as double-doubles and rebounding, but it is clear that her impact is nowhere near Caitlin Clark's impact on the Indiana Fever.
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