Mabrey, Reese help Chicago beat New York 90-81, a win for coach Weatherspoon against former team

NEW YORK (AP) — Teresa Weatherspoon said she'll always be “Liberty for life.”

Her homecoming to New York was special for the first-year Chicago Sky coach as her team came away with a win.

Marina Mabrey had 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds to help the Sky beat the Liberty 90-81 on Thursday night.

“This was was really for her,” said Chicago guard Dana Evans, who added 12 points. “We really wanted this for her more than anything.”

Weatherspoon starred as a player for the Liberty in the WNBA’s early days from 1997-2003. She helped New York reach the finals in three of the league’s first four years. She was the heart and soul of those teams and adored by the crowds at Madison Square Garden.

Many of those fans from more than 20 years ago attended Thursday night at the Barclays Center, wearing Weatherspoon's No. 11 jersey.

“I know those fans in there,” Weatherspoon said. “I know them, I know a lot of the faces. There was a connection. ... There's a lot of love that we have for each other and I would lead by saying how much I love them and appreciate them and nothing will ever change that. Nothing.”

The coach was honored with a loud ovation in pregame introductions and again when the Liberty played a tribute video midway through the first quarter.

“I'm going to show my love for them and show my appreciation to everyone in New York City,” Weatherspoon said. “I hope you see this and know I love you all very much from the bottom of my heart, me and my family.”

Angel Reese added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Sky (2-1).

New York (4-1) led 68-67 early in the fourth quarter before Mabrey and Reese spurred a 19-7 run to give Chicago an 86-75 lead. Reese then had a three-point play with 2:18 left that put the game away.

“Confidence builder, if anything,” Mabrey said of the win. “This league is so tough. We’re going to turn around and play Connecticut (next). Appreciate this tonight then tomorrow hits.”

Sabrina Ionescu scored 19 points while Breanna Stewart added 18 points and 10 rebounds for New York, which was off to its best start since the 2007 season.

Stewart missed all four of her shot attempts in the first half while Jonquel Jones was saddled with foul trouble. The Sky built a 40-32 halftime lead behind Mabrey, who scored 12 in the half.

New York trailed by double digits in the third quarter before Stewart led a rally for a brief lead.

Chicago was missing Isabelle Harrison (knee), Diamond DeShields (foot) and Kamilla Cardoso (shoulder). Weatherspoon said she expected to have DeShields and Cardoso back soon.

Sky: Play their first home game of the season on Saturday when they host Connecticut.

Liberty: Travel to Minnesota to play the Lynx on Saturday.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello calls out to the team during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Chicago Sky, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Sky's Angel Reese (5) defends against New York Liberty's Kennedy Burke (2) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Courtney Vandersloot (22) drives past Chicago Sky's Elizabeth Williams (1) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu (20) drives past Chicago Sky's Lindsay Allen (15) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Courtney Vandersloot (22) shoots from between Chicago Sky's Dana Evans (11) and Angel Reese, left, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Courtney Vandersloot, center, looks to pass the ball as Chicago Sky's Elizabeth Williams, right, and Dana Evans defend during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart (30) defends against Chicago Sky's Angel Reese (5) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon calls out to players during the first half of the team's WNBA basketball game against the New York Liberty, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Sky's Marina Mabrey (4) shoots over New York Liberty's Courtney Vandersloot (22) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, May 23, 2024, in New York. The Sky won 90-81. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

PHOENIX (AP) — Extreme heat spread across Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Texas, Colorado and Kansas as severe weather swept across many parts of the U.S. on Sunday. There was unseasonable cold in the Pacific Northwest, snow headed to the northern Rocky Mountains and heavy rainfall forecast from the northern Plains to the Upper Midwest.

The National Weather Service estimated that more than 63 million people were under heat advisories on Sunday, stretching from the Southwest northward up through Denver and into Chicago.

Temperatures in Phoenix, which hit 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 Celsius) on Saturday, were expected to reach close to that on Sunday. Weather service forecasters say the first two weeks of June in Phoenix already have been an average of 5.6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than normal, making it the hottest start to June on record.

“We have already seen some pretty significantly high temperatures in our area,” said Ted Whittock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix. “We are recommending that everyone reduce their time outdoors between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., stay hydrated and wear light, looser fitting clothing."

Whittock said the heat in metro Phoenix will ease a bit Monday through Wednesday, with the highs pushing back up as the week progresses, likely prompting another excessive heat warning.

The heat has been especially dangerous in recent years in metro Phoenix, where 645 people died from heat-related causes in 2023 — a record.

The city and Maricopa County have adopted additional measures this year in hopes of keeping people safer, including two new overnight cooling centers where people can rest in air conditioning after the sun goes down. There are more than 100 other cooling centers that have been open since May 1 where people can get cold water and sit in a cool space during daytime hours.

In neighboring New Mexico, a heat advisory was in effect over the weekend for the Chavez County plains including Roswell, where the high was forecast to hit 107 degrees F (41.6 degrees C) on Monday. The high for Albuquerque was forecast for 99 degrees F (37.2 C) on Sunday, cooling slightly to 96 degrees F (37.6 C) on Monday. Highs were expected to approach 105 F (40.6 C) in El Paso, Texas, which has now opened five cooling centers.

Temperatures from the 90s to nearly 100 degrees F (37.7 C) were expected in metro Denver and areas to the south. Thunderstorms were possible in communities north of Denver.

The heat wave was moving westward Sunday into the Plains and the Great Lakes area and was expected to arrive in the Northeast by Tuesday. The threat of thunderstorms with potential high winds and heavy rainfall was increasing in the Chicago area, even as heat indices were forecast to reach near 100 degrees F (37.7 C) through the middle of the week.

As the heat wave spreads eastward, temperatures in Washington and the rest of the mid-Atlantic as well as New England were likely to see highs in the mid- to upper 90s as the week goes on, with excessive humidity making it feel even more oppressive.

The U.S. last year saw the the most heat waves, consisting of abnormally hot weather lasting more than two days, since 1936.

While much of the country swelters, late season snow was forecast for the northern Rockies Monday and Tuesday. Parts of Montana and north-central Idaho were under a winter weather watch, with as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) of heavy, wet snow expected in the mountains around Missoula, Montana. As much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) was predicted for higher elevations around Glacier National Park.

Meanwhile, a fresh batch of tropical moisture will bring an increasing threat of heavy rain and flash flooding to the central Gulf Coast late Sunday into Monday. Heavy rain is expected to start Monday morning, with the moisture shifting toward the Gulf Coast by Tuesday.

The intense flooding from heavy rains continued to dissipate in southern Florida, where some areas in and around Miami and Fort Lauderdale were left underwater in recent days as storms dumped up to 20 inches (50 centimeters).

That unnamed storm system coincided with the early start of hurricane season, which this year is forecast to be among the most active in recent memory.

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A tug driver pulls a trailer of bags of ice for use in concession stands on the main concourse of Coors Field before the Colorado Rockies host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A boy cools off at a fountain during hot weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Families wade in ankle deep water at Yards Park Canal Basin, Sunday, June 16, 2024, as temperatures begin to steam up in Washington. The park usually has a waterfall feature which is currently down for maintenance. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Cheryl Batch picks up a bag of ice to use to cool beverages at a stand on the main concourse of Coors Field before the Colorado Rockies host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A concession worker pulls a tub of ice to a stand on the main concourse of Coors Field before the Colorado Rockies host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A boy cools off at a fountain outside Wrigley Field before a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals as hot weather dominates the weather in Chicago, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A boy cools off at a fountain outside Wrigley Field before a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals as hot weather descends upon the Chicago area Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh