Another tough day at the office for the Toronto Tempo, who tied their largest margin of defeat this season in a 101–69 loss to the Phoenix Mercury.
Let’s break down the good, the bad and the outlook.
The Good
It is hard to find much “good” at this stage of the season, but as the losses pile up, the Tempo keep showing up. Even with a roster running on life support, Toronto refuses to fold in its inaugural season.
And that’s the beautiful thing about sport. It’s more than a game! It’s more than the wins and the losses.
Watching this Tempo team show up and fight, night after night. Watching the players continue to support each other and continue to engage with fans through social media and in the community.
This last stretch has provided the Toronto front office and the fans with the opportunity to see the depth of this roster. Players that would normally grab a couple minutes a game are getting the opportunity to play meaningful minutes or even crack the starting lineup.
Veterans like Kia Nurse and Isabelle Harrison are being asked to do more than just play their role and each have had their moments stepping up to the challenge. Tonight, Harrison captured her 17th game with double-digit scoring and continued to show her grit fighting for rebounds and making tough shots all night.
Our 6th overall draft pick, Kiki Rice, is being asked to lead the team both as our floor general and as one of our top scoring threats. Newly signed players like Ornella Bankole, Zaay Green, and Kiana Williams are playing 15-20 minutes a game. And while it’s been a struggle to watch at times, it’s also been interesting to see who steps up on any given night and which rotations click.
The Tempo have had 22 different starting lineups this season. The team has had everything but stability yet the coaching staff and the available players on any given night keep showing up ready to fight.
Fun fact: The only player to appear in every game this season is Laura Juškaitė. As the Tempo broadcast put it, “the best ability is availability.” Props to Juškaitė for serving as Toronto’s ironwoman throughout the year.
The Bad
Toronto struggled to find a rhythm from the opening tip. Turnovers remained a central issue, with 5 in the first quarter and 16 total on the night. Credit the Mercury’s high-pressure defense, which generated 12 steals and 28 fast-break points. Lexi Held face-guarded Rice relentlessly, making it difficult for the rookie to initiate the offense. A compliment to Rice that teams are recognizing her game and targeting her as a key offensive player to contain.
Phoenix pulled away midway through the second quarter and never looked back. With limited backcourt scoring options, Toronto struggled from deep, shooting just 18% (4-for-22). Meanwhile, Phoenix caught fire, knocking down 44% (15-for-34) from beyond the arc.
The Outlook
The Tempo now get a much needed break as the league heads into the FIBA break from August 31-September 16. Toronto will be represented by 3 players and 2 coaches at the FIBA Women’s World Cup.
- Nyara Sabally (Germany)
- Maria Conde (Spain)
- Julie Allemand (Belgium)
- Sandy Brondello (Head Coach, Australia)
- Olaf Lange (Associate Head Coach, Germany)
Toronto has been on the road for a long time with their “home games” on this stretch taking place in Vancouver so the team will be excited to get back to Coca Cola Coliseum after the break where they’ll take on the Indiana Fever on September 18. Indiana has taken both previous matchups this season and will be eager to take another win with playoff seeding implications on the line but we’re sure that a well rested Toronto squad will be ready to try to even the score.
After that, only 3 games left before the curtain closes on the inaugural season. Get your tissues ready.