Ogunbowale and Bueckers Thrive As Dallas Wings Fall to Sky

Arike Ogunbowale (No. 24) of the Dallas Wings had a stellar performance against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. (Photo by Gary Dineen | NBAE via Getty Images)

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sky finally broke through with their first win of the 2025 WNBA season, pulling out a gritty 97–92 victory over the Dallas Wings on Thursday night at Wintrust Arena. After a rough 0–4 start, the Sky showcased resilience and balanced scoring to snap their skid and ignite confidence for what lies ahead.

Kamilla Cardoso emerged as the key difference-maker for Chicago, delivering a career-best 23 points alongside eight rebounds and three assists. Her physicality inside was undeniable—Cardoso scored 14 points in the second half alone, asserting dominance in the paint and securing critical offensive rebounds that fueled second-chance points. Her presence unsettled the Wings’ defense throughout, making Chicago’s attack far tougher to contain.

Leading the charge for Dallas was Arike Ogunbowale, who scorched the floor with a season-high 37 points on 14-of-25 shooting, including 6-of-12 from three-point range. Ogunbowale attacked the basket relentlessly and demonstrated her all-around game by pulling down five rebounds and dishing out seven assists. Despite the Wings’ struggles to find consistent offense beyond her, Ogunbowale’s leadership and scoring were a bright spot amid a challenging start to the season.

Courtney Vandersloot orchestrated the Sky’s offense with near perfection, flirting with a triple-double by posting 13 points, nine assists, and five rebounds. Her crisp decision-making and court vision allowed Chicago to maintain balance, repeatedly finding open shooters and cutters, especially Ariel Atkins, who added a solid 17 points and six assists.

Angel Reese provided the Sky with versatile contributions, tallying six points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Reese’s ability to create mismatches and distribute the ball played a pivotal role in Chicago’s control of the boards and helped spark runs at critical moments.

Chicago wasted no time setting the tone, exploding for 29 points in the opening quarter while holding Dallas to 19. The Sky were efficient, shooting 54.5% from the field and knocking down half of their three-point attempts (6-of-12). Cardoso was a force from the jump, scoring 11 points in the quarter and asserting herself inside, often drawing multiple defenders and opening space for teammates.

DiJonai Carrington (No. 21) took it to the house for the Dallas Wings against the Chicago Sky with 15 points. (Photo: Dallas Wings Basketball)

The Wings stumbled out of the gate but responded with grit in the second quarter. Dallas tightened their defense and found a better offensive rhythm, fueled by Ogunbowale’s aggressive drives and deep shooting. DiJonai Carrington’s timely three-pointers helped the Wings chip away, and Dallas closed the half trailing by just six points, 49–43. The Wings shot a solid 47.4% in the period and showcased more energy on both ends.

Momentum swung fully in Dallas’s favor in the third quarter. The Wings flipped the narrative with a dominant 30–19 scoring advantage, fueled by stifling perimeter defense that created turnovers and fast-break opportunities. Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers led quick transition pushes, with Bueckers notching 15 points along with eight assists and five rebounds. Dallas took a 73–68 lead into the final quarter, their first control of the game.

The last 10 minutes turned into a tug-of-war between two determined teams. Chicago leaned on Reese and Atkins to spark their comeback, with Atkins hitting timely baskets and distributing efficiently. At 2:11 left, Ogunbowale drained a crucial three-pointer, putting Dallas ahead 92–91 and electrifying the crowd.

But Chicago’s composure in crunch time proved decisive. Cardoso hit a critical jumper, and Reese followed with a putback that ignited a 6–0 run, swinging momentum sharply back to the Sky. Vandersloot’s calm, precise ball movement kept Chicago’s offense fluid, creating open looks and keeping Dallas off balance.

Despite opportunities in the closing seconds, Dallas couldn’t capitalize. Missed shots and tough Chicago defense sealed the victory for the Sky, who improved to 1–4, while the Wings dropped to 1–5.

Cardoso’s dominant inside game was a revelation for the Sky. Her toughness in the paint and clutch scoring under pressure gave Chicago a vital edge in a tightly contested game. Angel Reese’s multi-faceted contributions extended beyond scoring, as she helped facilitate ball movement and control rebounds, allowing Chicago to capitalize on second chances.

Vandersloot’s near triple-double demonstrated her status as the engine of Chicago’s offense. Her ability to read the defense and find open teammates kept the Sky balanced and prevented Dallas from locking down any single scoring option.

For the Wings, Ogunbowale was the offensive catalyst. She not only carried a heavy scoring load but also involved teammates, reflected in her seven assists. Paige Bueckers continued to impress, showing growth as both a scorer and facilitator, building promising chemistry with Ogunbowale in the backcourt.

DiJonai Carrington’s reliable shooting and timely three-pointers helped Dallas stay competitive throughout, providing crucial scoring support beyond the Wings’ two stars.

Paige Bueckers (No. 5) had an efficient performance for the Dallas Wings with 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three blocks and three steals. (Photo: Dallas Wings Basketball)

Ogunbowale spoke candidly about developing chemistry with Bueckers and the Wings’ roster as a whole:

“Yeah, just conversations with Coach [Chris Koclanes], conversations with each other, just like you said, building that chemistry,” Ogunbowale said. “I mean, it’s still early. It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s still early. And both of our potential playing together is great.

“But then with everybody else, we need everybody, you know, playing well, post starting five, the whole bench. So just building chemistry all throughout, you know, one through 12. But yeah, if we’re talking just me and Paige, I think it’s growing day by day.”

Ogunbowale’s words underscore the challenge Dallas faces meshing a young roster and finding consistent contributions beyond their leading scorers.

Next Stop

The teams will meet again Saturday night at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, promising a competitive rematch with both squads hungry for wins. Chicago will look to capitalize on their improved chemistry and confidence after breaking through with their first victory. Dallas aims to sharpen execution and build on their strong offensive showing.

Dallas Wings: By the Numbers

Chicago Sky: By the Numbers