Sky Coach Marsh Adjusts Roster Ahead of Key Matchup

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Coach Tyler Marsh of the Sky is making strategic changes to his roster as the team continues to adapt to injuries. This week, he switched up the starting positions of Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen, looking to enhance the team’s performance against the Dream.

Nurse, known for her defensive skills, began the season as a starter but saw Allen take her place after a series of solid games. On Friday, both players started as Ariel Atkins filled in for Courtney Vandersloot, whose injury has sidelined her for the season.

Nurse spoke about her approach to defending top players, saying, “When there’s really, really good offensive players on the other team, you’ve got to use your physicality to throw them off their game a little bit.” Allen, a seasoned player with a 36.2% shooting average from beyond the arc, added, “The biggest part of staying in the league is always being able to adjust and have versatility.”

Both players are crucial to the sky’s game plan, emphasizing the need for adaptability in the league.

Young player Angel Reese is also finding her footing, saying, “I know my matchups,” highlighting her growth and ability on defense, where she averages 1.6 steals per game. Coach Marsh noted the importance of improved team defense, acknowledging, “We’ve done a decent job in our individual matchups, but we need better team defense.”

Off the court, Nurse is closely following her brother Darnell, who is currently playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the Oilers. She expressed her excitement, saying, “It’s really fun to watch — quite nerve-racking. [Game 4] was insane.” Nurse plans to watch the upcoming Oilers games while preparing for the Sky’s next challenge on Tuesday.