Quigley a Thoroughbred in NBA HORSE Challenge

CHICAGO – Oh, did it feel good to finally cheer for something during this coronavirus-imposed new normal.

Rooting for a fellow Blue Demon allowed you to double-down on the escapist fun as former women's basketball All-American Allie Quigley competed last week in the inaugural NBA HORSE Challenge that was televised nationally on ESPN.

It was a thoroughly entertaining and uplifting reminder of how sports can temporarily sweep us away from tension and stress, and it rekindled fond memories of springs gone by when applauding for the White Sox and Cubs was our daily pursuit. We kept track of numbers like home runs and RBIs instead of confirmed cases and casualty counts.

But the HORSE challenge took us away from all that, however briefly. Everyone who has ever picked up a basketball is familiar with the iconic backyard, playground game of matching trick shots until the loser is saddled with the five equine letters.

Right from the get-go, Quigley was in a devilish mood. When asked by the Sun-Times to deliver a message to her seven other HORSE competitors, she replied: "I can go with the famous Larry Bird quote (before the 1986 NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest) 'Which one of you guys is coming in second?'"

That's an entirely foreign concept to Quigley's quarterfinal opponent, 10-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The quarterfinal showdown with Quigley shooting in the backyard of her Deerfield home and Paul in the backyard of his Encino, Calif. mansion saw both match early shots. Quigley scored first on a corner three-pointer that Paul missed.

Using what an ESPN writer described as the most variety of shots in the first round, Quigley connected on a bank shot sitting down a la "Pistol Pete" Maravich that had CP3 remarking before the attempt: "I hope she misses."

She didn't---he did.

"I was looking up trick shots on YouTube and tried it a few days before," said the three-time WNBA All-Star. "It was one of the trick shots I tried and it wasn't too difficult. Even though I was sitting down, it was the same shooting technique I normally use. I don't jump too much when I shoot. My shooting form is my strength."

Maintaining control, Quigley hit a floater off glass and a bank shot in jumping out to an H-O-R-S to H lead.

Paul rallied to give the Blue Demon H-O-R before missing. Quigley went to a bank-shot free throw that Paul missed as the two-time winner of the WNBA Three-Point Contest advanced to the semifinals against uber-athletic Bulls star Zach LaVine.

"This was really fun," she said. "I haven't played HORSE since I was 11 or 12 years old in the backyard. It's insane to imagine playing HORSE on ESPN. It was different playing at home in my backyard with no fans.

"It was different but still competitive. You're just trying to make shots. You know everyone is watching on TV. It was a little nerve-wracking, but unlike a three-point contest, you aren't timed."

And unlike the other six NBA HORSE competitors (Trae Young, Chauncey Billups, Mike Conley, Jr., Tamika Catchings, LaVine and Paul Pierce), Quigley was up against the most renowned and accomplished NBA star in the NBA HORSE Challenge stable of players.

"I had never met Chris Paul, and it was nice getting to know him," Quigley said as the Sky and Thunder opponents bantered back and forth during the duel. "Actually beating him in a game of HORSE---I didn't think about it at the time. I mean, he is an NBA legend, a 10-time all-star, two-time Olympics gold medalist and the State Farm guy on commercials. It got my adrenaline going facing an NBA superstar.

"I received so much positive support afterwards from texts and on social media. Everyone was saying how fun it was that I beat him.

"The best part were all the videos that parents sent to me of their daughters watching on TV and the little girls dancing around and celebrating after I won."

Here's an excerpt about DePaul vs. Chris Paul from espn.com.

"At one point during their competition, Paul remarked that all he was hearing from Quigley's backyard hoop were swishes. Paul heated up late, opening the door for him to come back from an HORS-to-H deficit, but Quigley slammed it shut with a bank free throw.

"In addition to pure shot-making from the perimeter, the two-time WNBA 3-Point Contest winner showed off more classic HORSE tricks than anybody else involved in the competition, including a bank shot from the ground that drew one of Paul's letters."

The all-Chicago semifinal featured LaVine with a distinct advantage in terms of athleticism, and Quigley realized keeping control of the game would be her only alternative.

LaVine won the coin toss and converted a between-the-legs reverse layup to saddle Quigley with the first letter.

Next came a dunk-like move with LaVine rising up and dropping in a no-rim lay-up. Quigley's attempt caught just a little iron going down, giving her H-O.

"One thing I do know is that WNBA players are fundamentally sound," LaVine said. "You don't want to get into a shooting match.

As the Bulls forward deliberated his next mid-air creation, Quigley used a little psychology.

"Why don't you take an outside shot?" she said with an ulterior motive. "Don't you shoot threes really well?"

LaVine took the bait and missed one from distance.

"I said that hoping he would take an outside shot," Quigley said. "He really is a very good outside shooter. Once I got control again, I didn't have enough ideas to keep it going."

Quigley connected on her patented sitting-down bank shot and followed with a shot over the backboard to tie it at H-O to H-O. She took the lead on an out-of-bounds shot from the right corner.

The former Blue Demon was unable to stay in charge. LaVine did not want to give his worthy adversary another chance and closed it out with a trio of creative shots hanging in midair.

First came the off-the-backboard reverse left-hand shot. Next, it was a 180-degree turnaround jumper starting with your back to the basket. The clincher was an off-the-backboard, between-the-legs lefty layup while defying gravity.

"I'm not going to lie---I was terrified to play you," LaVine told Quigley after the match. "I did not want you to get control of the game."

That strategy paid off for LaVine, who would fall to Conley in the championship.

"I can't do a shot like that," Quigley said. "That's why I needed to make more shots and keep control. It was tough facing his athleticism. I should have kept making shots and kept him away from the rim.

"After it was over, Courtney (spouse and Sky teammate Courtney Vandersloot) and I talked in the backyard about shots I could have taken. Lots of other people also sent me ideas."

No matter the outcome, Quigley went a long way in earning respect and admiration for both the Chicago Sky and the sport of women's basketball. Taking down an NBA legend like Paul and going toe-to-toe with LaVine opened a lot of eyes all around the country.

"It was a chance to show people what the women's game is all about and that we are just as talented as the men in our own way," Quigley said. "We don't have their athleticism, but we are just as capable shooting-wise and skill-wise.

"It was fun, and I was glad to be a part of giving people a chance to watch sports on TV during this coronavirus pandemic when everything has been canceled."

Quigley was able to compete in the first HORSE contest because COVID-19 prematurely ended her season overseas.

"I left in early October and played a full regular season in Russia, getting back home on March 18," she said. "UMMC Ekaterinburg has won five EuroLeague titles and is the best club team in the EuroLeague and maybe the best team in the world. It was a dream team."

That powerhouse featured Sky teammates Vandersloot and Jamierra Faulkner, the dominant Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm), Jonquel Jones (Connecticut Sun), Emma Messeman (Washington Mystics) and Maria Vadeeva (Los Angeles Sparks). Sky head coach James Wade is an Ekaterinburg assistant coach.

Quigley finished the regular season averaging 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and shooting 41 percent from three-point range.

"It was my first time in Russia and it was pretty cold," she said. "I was there during the beginning of everything when the coronavirus wasn't a serious issue.

"Eventually, it got to a point where they had to cancel the season. It was good to get back home when I did, but I would definitely go back and play in Russia again."

DePaul University Athletics

Quigley a Thoroughbred in NBA HORSE Challenge

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