Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese dealt with foul trouble all afternoon long in her team’s 91-83 loss to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Sunday, and she was assessed a Flagrant 1 for a hit on the No. 1 overall pick. During her postgame press conference, Reese had some strong words about the officiating.
Asked about the flagrant foul, Reese said the referees “affected the game a lot tonight.” She expanded on those thoughts when detailing the difference between the first and second half for herself and her team.
“For inside, I think we were playing really hard,” Reese said. “I think we went up really strong and a lot of times we didn’t get a lot of calls. And going back and looking at the film, I saw a lot off calls that weren’t made, I guess some people got a special whistle, but just being able to play as best as we can.
“I’m proud of Kamilla going out and still getting a double-double. That’s something that y’all are not going to be able to stop, regardless of the referees, like we’re here for a while, we’re not going to be denied no matter what you guys try to do. Our goal is to win, we’re going to do whatever it takes to win and continue to do that.”
Reese finished the game with 11 points, 13 rebounds and five assists to tie the WNBA rookie record with her sixth consecutive double-double. However, she shot 4-of-13 from the field and was whistled for five fouls — the sixth time she’s reached that mark in 13 games this season.
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon defended Reese and her fellow rookie big Kamilla Cardoso, who also had five fouls.
“They play so hard down there and sometimes the whistle just doesn’t go your way,” Weatherspoon said. “They play hard, and that’s the most important thing is to play hard. They know how important that is for us to establish that identity. Tonight I thought they played their butts off. They’re very physical down there. Wish we could have gotten some calls here and there.”
This is not the first time Reese has been on the wrong side of the officiating this season. Earlier this month, she was ejected in the Sky’s loss to the New York Liberty after receiving two technicals in quick succession. The WNBA later rescinded the second technical and admitted she should not have been tossed from the game.