Fresh off their historic first franchise win, the Toronto Tempo hit the road for another milestone moment with their first regular season away game. Travelling coast to coast, their first stop of this 4-game road trip started in sunny Los Angeles matched up against a Sparks team looking for their first regular season win in 2026.
This game felt like hitting the next level of your favourite video game for the Tempo, matching up against a Sparks team led by 4-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum. Despite a disastrous start and multiple double digit deficits throughout the game, the Tempo showed once again that they’ve got that fight mentality to give themselves a chance down to the wire. The Tempo fought tooth and nail to the bitter end, but LA managed to hold off the furious comeback, scraping away with a 99-95 victory.
Let’s dive into the breakdown!
The Good
With each game, we’re learning more and more about the depth of this team.
While last week’s win showed us that Marina Mabrey can be that million dollar franchise player we know and love, this game showed us the play making ability and leadership that Brittney Sykes can bring. Sykes led all scorers with 27 points in 35 minutes of play with her full grit on display going 11-for-11 from the free throw line. It was a well-rounded performance for ‘Slim’ who had 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals, causing havoc for the Sparks on both ends of the floor.
Sykes wasn’t the only bright spot in the evening. Nyara Sabally continued to be a steady force on both ends with 14 points and 9 boards, quickly establishing herself as a reliable physical anchor for this starting lineup.
UCLA standout Kiki Rice has captured our hearts and our attention. She’s gaining confidence with each game and tonight was another glimpse into the player she can be for this team. Shooting 3 for 4 from beyond the arc, Kiki stepped into the point guard position in the second half and took on the tall task of trying to contain Kelsey Plum after Allemand went down with an injury at halftime.
While Plum gave the rookie a true WNBA welcome, the assignment was a massive vote of confidence from Head Coach Sandy Brondello in her No. 6 draft pick.
The absolute wildcard of the evening? Lithuanian forward Laura “Juice” Juškaitė. She erupted for a breakout 16 points in 25 minutes, showcasing a versatile, all-levels scoring package that gives the Tempo another lethal weapon from deep.
A quick shoutout to our hometown veteran Kia Nurse. Her minutes have been limited, but her influence is notable anytime she touches the court. Tonight was no different, with Nurse providing a stabilizing veteran presence and chipping in across the stat sheet in just nine minutes of floor time.
The Bad
Tough start would be an understatement for the Tempo.
I don’t know if it was the travel legs or the Sparks hunger to get their first win that resulted in a 10-0 run to start the game for LA. The Tempo struggled early to manage the variety of threats that the Sparks lineup presented with Ogwumike and Burrell hitting back-to-back 3s to start the game and defensive rotations proving difficult with Plum’s ability to attack the rim and find the open players.
An early timeout did little to stop the bleeding as LA coasted to a staggering 21-2 lead. Yet, despite the massive first-quarter hole, we saw the collective fight of this team once again as they turned up the defensive pressure to spark the transition game.
With Fagbenle and Harrison both sidelined with injuries, the Tempo’s glaring gap at center forced Coach Brondello to pivot. Starter Nikolina Milić played just five minutes as Sandy opted for a small-ball lineup, relying on the length and athleticism of Sabally and Juškaitė to fuel the high-tempo offense.
For Money Mabrey fans, it was a frustrating and quiet night. Mabrey spent half the night cheering from the bench, holding her to just 7 points on the evening. Yet, even on an off-night, Brondello trusted her top sniper when it mattered most, drawing up the final play for Mabrey. Sadly, her baseline three rimmed out at the buzzer, sealing a heartbreaking loss for the Tempo.
The Outlook
With a rematch set for tonight, the Tempo have an opportunity to embrace the process and show their ability to grow through adversity.
Managing the runs will be key. The Tempo gave up double-digit runs to start the game and the second half on Friday night putting them in a game of chase. If they can get out to a hot start and set the pace of the game early they should set themselves up for success.
Will tonight be the night that Mabrey and Sykes learn to lead together? Each star has shown individually what they can bring. Now, if they can put that star power together, they’ll be a difficult duo to stop!
Coach Brondello played all 11 active players Friday, with nine scoring. While the team is still gelling, leaning into a tighter 7-to-8 player rotation would help build the consistency and synergy this group needs.
The second game of this mini away series with the Sparks tips off tonight and we know Tempo fans across the nation will be eager to see this team capture their first away win of the season.