10 games in: What's going on with the Chicago Sky?

The Chicago Sky are off to their worst start since 2021 when they also started 3-7 to open up the season. Ever since the loss of Courtney Vandersloot, the Sky looked lost and sloppy in the two games following the loss to the Indiana Fever.

The Sky got blown out of the Barclays Center in their 85-66 loss to the defending champions in the New York Liberty. Then came a complete fourth quarter collapse against the Dream and Atlanta's Rhyne Howard just shooting lights out against Chicago, handing the Sky their seventh loss of the season, 88-70.

"I think we did as good of a job as you can do defensively in that first half and for parts of that third quarter, but we got to continue to put together a full 40 minute game," head coach Tyler Marsh said after the Atlanta loss on June 13.

But then came the June 15 matinee against the Connecticut Sun.

The Sky found a way to string a full four quarters together to come out with the 78-66 win over the Sun, thanks to the youth in Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith. HVL led Sky scorers with 16 points while Reese notched her first career triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

"I've been a passer all my career," Reese said after the win. "Trying to get back to that and being super versatile. Tyler made that emphasis early on in the season. I didn't understand it. I really was confused and trying to figure it out. I'm still figuring it out. Today, it came out big. To add it with a win, it feels really good.

"I just want to be unstoppable."

Van Lith played with a level of confidence that hasn't been present prior to the matchup against the Sun.

"I think I've had opportunities that I haven't necessarily been ready for this year," Van Lith said after the win. "It's all a journey. Those times that I wasn't ready...I watched the film and I learned from it. I had people on the team - like Angel, Sloot, Rachel Banham - who are continually talking to me and telling me that when it comes again, we want you to try again. Never lose that edge."

Where can the Sky build from here?

Picking up that win over the Connecticut Sun was incredibly crucial and vital for this struggling Sky team. It was felt after the game with Reese and Van Lith laughing and joking around with joy that fans haven't seen in a few weeks.

Not only will this be a big win for morale and mentality, but this win showed that there is depth within this team. The bench contributed 36 of the Sky's 78 points, and five Sky players reached double-digit scoring - something that hasn't happened since their game against the Phoenix Mercury on May 27.

Michaela Onyenwere and Elizabeth Williams showed their impact in ways that won't show up on the stat sheet. Onyenwere brought incredble defensive energy with tight face guarding, creating deflections and playing disciplined.

Williams brought a sense of poise and calmness to the offense in her minutes in the game. While she finished with 8 points, those points came at crucial moments of the game to help give the Sky some offensive momentum.

"She stays even the whole entire time, and you need a player like that," Reese said. "E Will just stays the course the whole time. She doesn't complain. She doesn't do anything out of her sort. She's been a great mentor for Kamilla and I."

One specific lineup of Van Lith, Ariel Atkins, Oneywere, Reese and Kamilla Cardoso finished out the fourth quarter and limited Connecticut to not score a single bucket in over 4 minutes. This could be a lineup that sees more minutes together as the season progresses - possibly as starters.

Should the Sky start looking to Hailey Van Lith as the starting point guard?

If they're not going to make any moves, then yes.

Van Lith really settled into her game more than what we've seen all season in the game against the Connecticut Sun. That was her main focus coming into the matchup.

"I just had that feeling today," Van Lith said on Sunday. "I felt like if I could just carry over a calm state of mind where I'm literally just playing instinctually, that was my goal today."

And it showed.

If that mentality can be something she taps into for every game while also playing alongside other ball handlers in Atkins, Banham or even Kia Nurse, it provides the Sky a guard who can facilitate without it all having to be on one person's shoulders.

That's been the issue for the Sky: they want to play selflessly but there are times where it ends up falling onto just one person. If Van Lith can be that leader of the offense, it allows other players to play their best spots with Van Lith looking to set them up to be successful.

She can also score and score efficiently. She shot 75% from the floor while putting up 16 points. That's something the Sky cannot overlook. At all.

Van Lith might be waking up at the right time as the Sky prepare to take on a youthful Washington Mystics team that's ranked No. 9 in the standings. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. at Wintrust on Tuesday, June 17.

Tune in every Monday for a new episode of Courtside with Karli Bell.