Feature Image Photo c/o Matthew Lensen
The Toronto Tempo finally put an end to their 12-game losing streak on Friday, beating the Portland Fire 82-79 in an absolute nail-biter in Vancouver.
We break down the good, bad, and outlook from this game.
The Good
Losing streak is over!
And this one definitely wasn’t easy. Portland came out firing and built a 13-point lead in the first quarter, but Toronto slowly clawed their way back, tying the game 44-44 before halftime.
Isabelle Harrison had a monster game, finishing with a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double. She also came up huge when it mattered, hitting a floater to give Toronto the lead with less than two minutes remaining before knocking down two free throws to help seal the win.
Kiki Rice continued her strong play as well, tying her career high with 19 points while shooting an incredibly efficient 7-of-9 from the field. Harrison, Rice, and Laura Juskaite combined for 59 of Toronto’s 82 points.
And Canada showed up. The 12,414 fans at Rogers Arena were loud, especially down the stretch. Sandy Brondello said “We felt the support. When we made big plays it was hard for me even to talk in some of the time-outs there.”
The Bad
Just when it felt like the team was healing and some of the injuries subsided, both Brittney Sykes and Aneesah Morrow had to leave the game.
A minute and a half into the game, Sykes took an awkward step and appeared to re-injure her left foot. She looked frustrated and could be seen kicking the wall on the way back to the locker room. Early In the second quarter, Morrow went down with a left knee injury and had to be helped off the court. Neither player returned.
Toronto was already without Marina Mabrey, Nyara Sabally, and Marina Conde, meaning the Tempo somehow finished this game missing five key players.
The Outlook
It’s hard to know why the Tempo have been so injury-prone this season. Sometimes it’s just bad luck, but with nine players from the inaugural roster missing multiple games this season, it’s clear something the organization will want look at closely.
Pulling off a W with so many players out says a lot about the tenacity, drive, and grit of the team. The bench stepped up, the remaining starters took on bigger roles, and somehow they got it done.
Next up is a huge challenge; Las Vegas Aces on Sunday in Vancouver. The Aces are 25-13, have already secured a playoff spot, and beat Toronto 109-83 in their first meeting this season.
Toronto will once again be seriously shorthanded, with Sykes, Morrow, Mabrey, Conde, and Sabally all ruled out. But after Friday night, it’s hard to completely count them out.
With another loud Vancouver crowd behind them and the losing streak finally in the rear-view mirror, maybe the Tempo have one more upset in them.