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  • Tempo vs Aces Game Report – August 28, 2026

    Tempo vs Aces Game Report – August 28, 2026

    The Toronto Tempo could not find a way to stop the stellar play of A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young, and the Las Vegas Aces went on to easily beat the Tempo, 93 – 73. 

    We break down the good, bad, and outlook from this game.

    The Good

    Though a win tonight was always going to be far-fetched, there was still lots to look forward to. Could Kiki Rice keep up her stellar play after reaching a new career-high in points in the Tempo’s last game? Also, this game saw a classic “who wore it better” situation between Izzy Harrison and A’ja Wilson. Call me crazy but I think Izzy wears the one leg sleeve, one arm sleeve and the headband combo every bit as well as A’ja does.

    With the Tempo still very plagued with injuries and completely out of the playoff picture, the goal of these remaining games is to evaluate the players on the floor and what they can showcase with more opportunity.

    With that in mind, we have to give a big shout out to Laura Juškaitė. Juškaitėcontinues to show her knack for doing little things that make her valuable to the team. It might be a small cut to the basket here, or a hustle play there. Simply put, Juškaitė combines the elements of being a “glue” player with high basketball intellect, patience, and creativity. 

    The Tempo also had a solid contribution from newcomer, Kiana Williams. While she certainly looked like she was at her first day of work during the Tempo’s last game against Seattle, she looked a lot more poised this game and hit some much-needed 3’s and layups. Izzy Harrison also continued to rebound from a tough stretch earlier in the month and had another solid game.

    The Bad

    Sometimes, you just have to tip your hat when watching greatness. A’ja Wilson was simply unstoppable this game, scoring 27 points and putting on a clinic with her array of buttery mid-range shots and low post strength. 

    But, what was even more impressive was her defensive presence in the paint. Wilson blocked, deflected, and changed the timing and rhythm of the Tempo’s shots in the paint. 

    Meanwhile, Jackie Young was hitting shots with Ornella Bankole’s hand in her face. Chelsea Gray was passing between her own legs, and the Aces’ bench players contributed well by excelling within their roles. 

    Even when the Tempo went on a small run in the third quarter, once the Aces ratcheted their defensive tenacity, the game was pretty much over by the end of the third quarter. 

    The Outlook

    Echoed in our last game report, the Tempo now only have five games left on their schedule and it is hard not to think about the odds for the upcoming WNBA lottery draft. As an update, the Tempo continue to have the second-best lottery odds to land the number one pick and it is a tight race with Connecticut for the best odds.  

    The Tempo next travel to Phoenix on the second night of a back-to-back before the WNBA breaks for the next two weeks during the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. Phoenix has been struggling mightily as of late, having lost seven of their last eight games. They will also be without Kelsey Plum and potentially Kahleah Copper. Nonetheless, they will be sure to look at this game as one where they are favourited to win.

  • Tempo vs Storm Game Report – August 26, 2026

    Tempo vs Storm Game Report – August 26, 2026

    Down four key players and on the road, the Toronto Tempo had one of their ugliest offensive games of the season and fell to the Seattle Storm 90 – 78. 

    We break down the good, bad, and outlook from this game.

    The Good

    With Brittney Sykes, Marina Mabrey, Nyara Sabally, and Aneesah Morrow all out with injuries, Tempo fans were treated to seeing what a Tempo team led by Kiki Rice could look like. While she started off slow, Rice showed off her bag and exploded for 10 points in the second quarter. In addition to putting on a show with her strength and footwork during her drives to the basket, Rice also hit a big 3 and got to the line. At one point, Rice finished over three Storm defenders for a layup. 

    Rice finished the night with a career-high 24 points and shot an efficient 6 of 12 from the field.

    With the Tempo already eliminated from playoff consideration, the focus will be on the future for these remaining games. If tonight’s game was any indication, Rice already has the ability to create her own shot, undying hustle, and energetic defense. The sky is the limit for her.

    We also have to give a shout out to Isabelle Harrison. Over the entire game, Izzy stayed aggressive and looked for her shot when others were more timid. In the first half, Izzy’s combination of pick-and-roll and low post game found success. She also made a concerted effort to crash the glass which gave the Tempo life and energy when the game was still within reach.

    Unfortunately, the Seattle bigs improved on their defensive paint presence and Izzy did not find the same success in the second half, but it was nonetheless a good effort from Izzy. 

    The Bad

    Admittedly, besides some highlight-worthy plays from Rice and Izzy, this was an ugly offensive game from the Tempo. Overall, they only shot 37% from the field and 15% from the 3-point line. Although the Storm didn’t shoot the ball well either early on but the difference came as the game went along. The Storm played more cohesive and knew what butters and what doesn’t butter their offensive bread. 

    The Tempo, on the other hand, got into trouble when individual players were too impatient, or tried to make heroic plays on their own. On numerous times, this led to turnovers and easy Storm transition points. The Tempo also got into trouble when their offense stagnated and they settled for contested three-point shots.

    Tonight, the Tempo’s bench was noticeably shaky. Every time the Tempo ran a bench lineup of Teonni Key, Kia Nurse, Ornella Bankole, and Kiana Williams with one of our starters, the Tempo immediately lost momentum and the Storm would regain control of the game. Meanwhile, the Storm’s bench contributed 30 points compared to the Tempo bench’s 11 points. 

    With the Tempo’s ongoing injuries, we probably should have seen this coming. Williams, as an example, was only signed one day before this game and this was the first time this lineup has played together. It is just another example of the Tempo’s injury-plague season continuing to haunt this team. 

    Outlook

    With only six games left on the schedule, it is hard not to think about next season and, more importantly, the odds for the upcoming WNBA draft lottery. The Tempo currently have the second best lottery odds to land the number one pick in the draft who will undoubtedly be Juju Watkins – an absolutely generational talent who can change a franchise’s future. Even if the Tempo do not land the number one pick, the other two players slated to be selected next are Madison Booker and Hannah Hidalgo who would also be big gets for this Tempo team.

    With Sykes and Morrow being out for the season and no signs of Mabrey and Sabally returning anytime soon, Tempo fans might not have to decide whether they should cheer for the Tempo to tank or not. If the Tempo can’t beat last-place Seattle, this team may just have sealed its fate. The opportunity to add a Juju Watkins to this team, however, gives us hope for the future.  

    In the meantime, the Tempo will travel to Las Vegas to play the Aces. A win is unlikely, but it’s still worthwhile watching players like Kiki Rice get ample opportunities to showcase their talents, while other players, such as Teonni Key, will have opportunities to show us something more from their game. 

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  • Tempo vs Fire Game Report – August 21, 2026

    Tempo vs Fire Game Report – August 21, 2026

    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.

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  • Tempo vs Mystics Game Report – August 19, 2026

    Tempo vs Mystics Game Report – August 19, 2026

    The Toronto Tempo have officially missed the playoffs and extend their losing streak to 12 games after falling 93-82 to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday August 19th.

    Playing on the second night of a back-to-back and missing four key players in Mabrey, Conde, Sabally and Sykes, the Tempo still managed to keep things competitive for most of the night.

    We break down the good, bad, and outlook from this game.

    The Good

    Playing back-to-back games is rough, especially while missing four key players, but the team stepped up and came out strong against the Mystics. Toronto kept the game close in the first quarter, trailing by only one after 10 minutes.

    Kiki Rice showed some serious hustle, tying her career high with 19 points while shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. She was attacking the paint, finishing through contact and generally looking more confident out there.

    It felt like she had some serious Slim vibes going on, and she commented in the presser, “I was sitting next to Slim a lot on the bench, so she’s just constantly giving me feedback, encouraging me, telling me what I need to do out there.”

    Morrow finished with 13 points and eight rebounds despite being limited by early foul trouble. I am loving what she brings to the team. She upped the physicality to the level expected from the Mystics and didn’t back down.

    There were some decent team numbers as well. The Tempo shot 40.7% from three and committed only eight turnovers. Ignoring the second quarter (which is admittedly doing a lot of work here) they played a pretty solid game despite being so shorthanded.

    The Bad

    Unfortunately, we can’t actually ignore the second quarter.

    The Tempo scored only nine points, the lowest-scoring quarter in franchise history. A one-point game after the first suddenly became a 14-point deficit at halftime.

    The other big issue was rebounding. Washington outrebounded Toronto 43-27 and absolutely crushed them in second-chance points, 23-7. With Sabally and Conde both out, the lack of size was pretty obvious.

    Morrow brought some of the physicality we needed, but getting into foul trouble early limited her minutes at a time when the team desperately needed her on the floor.

    And of course, the losing streak has now reached 12 games and the Tempo have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.

    The Outlook

    Missing the playoffs is disappointing, but not unexpected. Not every expansion team is going to come out as strong as the Valkyries did last season, and that’s ok.

    At this point, we need to focus on the team’s development and health. Rice continues to look like a huge part of the team’s future, and I really like what we’ve seen from Morrow since she arrived.

    Next up, the Tempo head to Vancouver as part of the team’s Cross-Canada Series to host Portland. Toronto is 0-2 against the Fire this season, so hopefully the energy in Rogers Arena can help them finally grab their first win against their fellow expansion team.

    Based on the games in Montreal and the general hype for the Tempo across Canada, expect this one to be packed!

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  • Tempo vs Dallas Wings Game Report – August 12, 2026

    Tempo vs Dallas Wings Game Report – August 12, 2026

    The Toronto Tempo came close but ultimately lost to the Dallas Wings, 94-88, and have now lost ten straight games. It was an entertaining game that saw the Tempo showcase a competitive fire that has been lacking of late.

    We break down the good, bad, and outlook.

    The Good

    The Tempo came into this game losing their last nine games – all with similar arcs. The Tempo get off to a good start; they play poor defense; the wheels start to fall off in the second half; they rally a bit but either not enough to come back or their opponent pulls ahead in the 4th quarter and we lose by double digits. It’s been a deflating journey.

    In this game, despite already being down two starters in Julie Allemand and Maria Conde then losing Nyara Sabally after the first half, the team showed a level of competitiveness and passion that have been lacking as of late.

    Two players that led this charge were Kiki Rice and Aneesah Morrow. Kiki Rice scored 13 points and added three boards, five assists, and two steals. Furthermore, she guarded Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogubowale admirably throughout the game. Did she win her matchup defensively every single time? No, but her effort to stay in front of her player, recovery, and switching are all ingredients that this team needs to improve defensively.  

    Meanwhile, Aneesah Morrow was once again a beast on the boards. Her hunger to fight for possessions is infectious and exactly what this team has been sorely needing. We would argue that the effort from both of these younger players ignited runs that kept the Tempo in this game.

    We also have to give a shout out to Kia Nurse. Captain Kia made some huge shots and was aggressive in finding her shot on the second unit. She did a great job in getting herself open for the 3-ball shot, while also bringing fight and energy on the defensive end. She even took a charge from Arike!

    Another player that deserves a shout out is Laura Juškaitė who contributed 18 points. When Juškaitė plays with confidence, her versatility and intelligence on the court help give the Tempo options. Whether it’s a timely drive to the basket or a pass to the next open player, Juškaitė has a talent for making the right play. And, when she makes a mistake, she will find a way to make up for her mistake on the very next play.

    Last but not least, we have to praise the play of Marina Mabrey who scored 23 points. In the 4th quarter, Mabrey put her patented microwave scoring on display. Tamika Nurse called it on the broadcast. The Tempo needed to get Mabrey the ball. On the next possession, they did and Mabrey ended up scoring 14 points in the final quarter and the Tempo almost pulled off a comeback victory.

    As a team, the Tempo outrebounded the Wings and scored more points in the paint. This was refreshing to see. And, while our defense still needs so much improvement, there were flashes in this game where the Tempo showed better rotations, recovery, help, and extra effort. 

    The Bad

    While the Tempo finished competitively, they unfortunately didn’t start out that way. We saw the same poor habits that have plagued the Tempo during this losing streak, including an overreliance on the 3-ball and poor transition defense.

    Defensively, we also saw the Tempo put a concerted effort to double Paige Bueckers during the pick-and-roll. While this strategy did limit Bueckers to zero points in the first half, it also created completely open looks for her teammates. As a result, they shot the 3-ball very well in the first half. 

    The Tempo need to communicate better on defense. Throughout the game, the Wings kept cutting to the basket for open layups. 

    And yet, this game was still gettable in the 4th quarter. Yes, the Tempo made multiple mistakes at the end of the game, including giving up an offensive rebound with 57 seconds left, a missed Mabrey free throw that could have made it a three-point game with fifty seconds to go, and an offensive foul and travel committed by Izzy Harrison at the end of the game. However, Arike Ogunbowale received a very friendly whistle tonight. She shot 14 free throws, just four shy of the total number of free throws that the entire Tempo team shot. While some calls were correctly called, we could also argue that Laura Juškaitė drove to the basket and received similar contact as Arike and curiously did not receive the same free throw opportunities.

    The Outlook

    The Tempo finally get to travel back home and have nearly a week to rest and regroup. The bad news is that their next opponent is yet another above .500 team in the Indiana Fever who will be a handful.

    Their big three in Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark, and Aliyah Boston have been playing incredible basketball and stopping any one of them will be a challenge for the worst defensive team in the WNBA. Look for Kelsey Mitchell to do what Arike did tonight with even more speed and efficiency. Boston now has a reliable three-point shot to go along with her pick-and-roll and low-post game. Caitlin Clark can both facilitate at an elite level and shoot from anywhere on the floor.

    This will not be easy for the Tempo. We hope that the chance to play back at home, a significant amount of rest, and the unveiling of the new mascot can swing this team to finally get back into the win column.