Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

The Sky’s the limit for Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen.

On a night when the two rookie All-Stars lit up CareFirst Arena, the Mystics delivered one of their most complete offensive performances of the season, defeating the Chicago Sky 103-86 on Tuesday night.

Citron and Iriafen were electric from the jump, leading a Mystics squad that outscored Chicago in all four quarters and never let their foot off the gas. Citron poured in a career-high 28 points, while Iriafen added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in a dominant two-way effort. In doing so, they made Mystics history as the first rookie duo to score 20+ points in the same game.

“First and foremost, we’re so lucky to have them in a Mystics uniform,” said Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson postgame. “They’re unbelievably coachable. The talent is one thing, they’re outstanding players blessed with so much ability, and they’ve worked hard for it. But to come into this league and truly want to be great, to stay open to coaching through the highs and lows, through the pressure, the defense, the officiating, and all the different schemes, it says so much about them. The future is really bright with the two of them here.”

First Quarter: Setting the Tone

From the opening tip, Tuesday night’s matchup featured a flurry of buckets from both teams. Washington came out sharp, connecting on 12 of their first 18 shots (66.7%) and asserting their dominance inside with 20 paint points in the opening frame. On the opposite end, Chicago kept pace, going 9-of-18 (50%). Angel Reese matched the energy with 9 points and 5 boards, but the Mystics’ balance proved too much.

Early on, Citron caught fire, knocking down a pair of threes and capping the quarter with a driving buzzer-beater to give Washington a 30-27 lead. The rookie tandem of Citron and Iriafen combined for 19 points in the quarter, clearly foreshadowing what was to come.

Second Quarter: Citron Builds Off Strong Start

Washington opened the second with a 9–4 run, creating early separation before Chicago briefly clawed back. Then, Citron took over again, hitting two more triples and pushing the lead back to seven. By halftime, Citron had already set a new career-high in first-half scoring with 19 points.

The Mystics went into the break up 55–47, riding a 25-point second quarter. More importantly, it marked their highest-scoring first half of the season and served as a clear sign that their offense was clicking on all cylinders.

Third Quarter: Sykes Joins the Party

In the third, Brittney Sykes found her rhythm, scoring 10 of her 18 points in the frame. After the Sky cut the lead to five, the Mystics responded with a 12-0 run, sparked by Sykes’ shot creation and scoring, to stretch the lead to 74–57.

Citron, Iriafen, and Sykes were all in double figures by the end of the period, and threes from Sykes and rookie Lucy Olsen to end the quarter kept the Mystics firmly in control, up 80–69.

Fourth Quarter: Closing with Authority

There was no letup in the final 10 minutes. To start the fourth, Iriafen and Melbourne got the Mystics going with trips to the line and strong finishes at the rim. Shortly after, Sug Sutton’s deep three pushed Washington past the 90-point mark midway through the quarter.

However, Chicago made a brief push, cutting the lead to single digits behind a three from Kia Nurse and a jumper from Rachel Banham. But Washington answered immediately with a layup-and-one from Melbourne, followed by a late-game scoring burst from Citron and Iriafen. Even so, the rookie duo responded with poise. Nevertheless, the Mystics stayed composed. The duo of Iriafen and Melbourne combined for eight points in the final three minutes, ultimately closing the door on the Sky and pushing Washington over the 100-point mark for the second time this season.

Next up, the Mystics will conclude their five-game home stand on Thursday night against the Golden State Valkyries, with tip-off set for 7:30 PM ET.

Game Notes

Once again, Sonia Citron delivered in a big way, recording a career-high 28 points, including five made threes, tied for the most by a WNBA rookie this season. Right from the start, she set the tone with 12 first-quarter points and 19 in the first half, both career-bests.
Meanwhile, Kiki Iriafen notched her second 20+ point game, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. With that performance, she became just the fourth rookie in franchise history to post a 20/10 game.
Together, Citron and Iriafen made franchise history as the first rookie duo to each score 20+ points in the same game.
In addition to the rookie dominance, Brittney Sykes continued her consistent play, adding 18 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals. As a result, she notched her seventh game this season with 15+ points and 5+ assists.
Offensively, Washington was in rhythm from start to finish. Their 103 points were just one shy of their season high (104 vs. Connecticut, June 8).
Furthermore, the Mystics scored a season-high 55 points in the first half and 30 points in the opening quarter, tying their best first-quarter output this season.
Sharing the ball effectively, they matched a season-high with 25 assists and also tied a season-best with 10 made threes.
Inside the paint, Washington dominated with 52 points — the third-most in franchise history.
Finally, the bench came through in a big way, outscoring Chicago’s reserves 21–7.
Washington has now won six straight against the Sky and 10 of the last 11 overall.

Gallery Block

Game Recap: Mystics Come Up Short in Loss to Valkyries

Game Recap: Citron, Iriafen Shine in Victory Over Sky

Game Recap: Lucy Olsen’s Career Night Highlights Battle in Minnesota

Game Recap: Mystics Defeat Aces for Third Straight Win