It’s been almost 10 months since Caitlin Clark last suited up for the Indiana Fever. Clark made her long-awaited return Saturday against the New York Liberty in both teams’ first preseason games of the year, with the Fever notching a 109-91 win. The 2024 rookie of the year played just 13 games during her sophomore season as she navigated injuries before officially being shut down in September. As Clark enters her third season in the WNBA, the anticipation might rival that of her rookie year, con

NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark was excited to get back on the court Saturday and play in a WNBA game, even if it was just the preseason.

Indiana’s star played in her first game for the Fever in nine months after injuries derailed her second season, limiting her to 13 games.

“This isn’t a real game, I understand that, but that’s how we treat it like a real game,” Clark said before the Fever faced the New York Liberty. “I think anytime you get to put on your uniform and lace up your shoes you don’t take that for granted, especially after coming off last year when I didn’t get to do that very much.”

Clark said she had some nerves and only expected to play about 20-25 minutes.

“Get out there, run around, you know, it’s going to be a little sloppy for both teams,” she said. “That’s kind of what preseason games are.”

Fever coach Stephanie White noticed a difference in Clark this preseason as opposed to her first two in the league.

“I think that’s the thing, watching her play with joy,” White said. “In practice her energy is different, carrying herself in a different way.”

This wasn’t Clark’s first basketball game since suffering a season-ending injury last July. She played for USA Basketball in a World Cup qualifying tournament last month and earned Most Valuable Player honors.

“She was itchy and antsy before training camp started,” said White, who coached her in USA Basketball as well. “Glad she had those games with USA Basketball and came into training camp having played. Now it’s fine tuning.”

While Clark played, a few of the Fever’s others didn’t. Aliyah Boston was out while still recovering from a lower-leg injury. Lexie Hull is also working her way through a hamstring issue.

White said both would have played if it was a regular-season game.

The Fever were also without Ty Harris (knee) and Damiris Dantas, who is not with the team yet.

New York was missing Rebecca Allen, Marine Fauthoux and Satou Sabally, who were out to build their fitness up. Sabally was the biggest offseason acquisition by the Liberty, signing as a free agent.

Leonie Fiebich, Raquel Carrera, Pauline Astier and Ugonne Onyiah weren’t with the Liberty yet as they were finishing up their overseas commitments.

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — One of the first Republicans elected to the Indianapolis City-County Council following the implementation of Unigov, Bill Schneider Jr. died Wednesday, a funeral home said in an announcement issued Friday night. He was 92.

Schneider in 1965 founded Mister Ice of Indianapolis, which continues to sell, lease and service ice machines and refrigeration units for restaurants, hotels, and health care facilities from a facility off Hague Road at East 88th Street.

He served as a Marion County commissioner from 1968 to 1971, and represented the north side of Indianapolis as a City-County councilor from 1971 to 1999. The Indiana legislature in 1970 created Unigov to consolidate the city and county governments. During his time in public office, Schneider may have been best known for his consistent “no” votes on tax increases. When Schneider left office in 1999, his son was elected to succeed him, and Scott Schneider served eight years.

William George Schneider was born Feb. 21, 1934, in Falmouth, an unincorporated, east-central Indiana community that straddles the border of Fayette and Rush counties.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Patricia Schneider; four children, 12 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Flanner Buchanan funeral home, 1306 Broad Ripple Ave., and 10-11 a.m. Thursday at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5884 Crittenden Ave. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow Thursday’s visitation at the church.