Marina Mabrey đ Marina Mabrey đ Ma đ ri đ na đ Ma đ brey! Marina lead the Tempo to a huge win against the Sparks 125 to 97 on Thursday with a league record-breaking 53 points! The team had their foot on the gas the entire game and never let off.
The Good
It wasnât just a great night for Mabrey. Julie Allemand set a career record with 14 assists. Conde, Nurse, Juskaite, and Allemand all scored in double digits. Even with the team primarily feeding Mabrey, they still spread the love.
Not only did everyone play well tonight, the team looked like it was having serious fun. The chemistry and camaraderie really showed itself throughout the game. I suppose it’s hard to not be having a good time when you’re up 20 points and the stadium is electric.
Some have worried that our offense will suffer with Slim being on the sidelines, but it really feels like everyone has stepped up to fill their role.
âI think tonight was just my night from the 3 point line – and honestly everywhereâŚâ – Marina Mabrey
Mabrey showed a very comprehensive offensive performance. She had the first bucket of the night from mid-range, several drives to the basket, had a few put-backs, and in signature Mabrey style dropped X 3 pointers (many from deep). Mabrey says she is still becoming the player she wants to be and we canât wait to see whatâs coming!
The Bad
The Sparks were coming off a huge win against New York on Sunday, but missing some key players; Cameron Brink’s ankle still looks like a tomato, and Kelsey Plum has re-injured her ankle. This shouldn’t take away from the win, or Mabrey’s amazing achievements, but it needs to be kept in perspective. By no means are we going to score 125 aginst teams like Minnesota or Las Vegas. But it is a good look at what the team can do when all cylinders are firing and we have some hot shooters who we get down-hill early.
Our bigs are back, but early in the game Atkins fouled Sabally in what can only be called a collision. Sabally spent the next few minutes rotating and holding her wrist. Hopefully this isnât the start of a more serious injury, but itâs worth keeping an eye on.
The Outlook
Today (Saturday) the Tempo play Phoenix. Last time the teams met (May 19, 2026), the Tempo walked away with a 98-90 win with both Sykes and Mabrey putting up 30+ points a piece. Not having Sykes could hurt here. That said, Sabally and Harrison missed that game; this time the Tempo will have a lot more pressure in the paint. This combined with Alyssa Thomas being suspended for the game, and maybe we’ll have another home blowout!?
The Toronto Tempo find themselves back in the loss column after a disastrous first quarter. Despite big efforts from Marina Mabrey and Isabelle Harrison, the Tempo were unable to overcome the deficit and dropped the game 94-87 against the Atlanta Dream.
Letâs break down the good, the bad, and the outlook.
The Good
On paper, winning three out of four quarters is usually enough to secure a victory. However, an 18-point first-quarter deficit proved too massive to overcome, even for a Tempo squad known for its resilient comebacks.
If you look past the opening frame, there were notable positives – like the return of Nyara Sabally to the lineup. This marked just the third game all season where the Tempo have had both Sabally and Harrison active. With Harrison still finding her footing during their brief overlap in early June, this game offered an exciting glimpse at a frontcourt searching for stability and synergy.
While Sabally had a quieter night on the stat sheet, she still anchored the interior with 9 points, 4 blocks, and 4 steals, helping re-establish a physical presence in the paint.
For Harrison, it was a historic performance. She captured the Tempoâs first-ever double-double, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Weâre loving watching Harrisonâs confidence and fierce competitive edge grow with each game. Harrison and Mabrey were critical in leading the Tempoâs fight to climb back into the game.
With Brittney Sykes sidelined, Mabrey is visibly stepping into a primary leadership role. Where other players might panic and force possessions, Mabrey showed excellent patience, letting the game come to her and consistently attacking the rim. Her versatility, combined with her accountability in the post-game press conference, is a fantastic sign for Toronto moving forward.
The Bad
The story of the game was written in the opening chapter. Atlanta delivered a blunt wake-up call, racing out to a 16-5 lead before head coach Sandy Brondello called timeout. From there the team started to settled into the game, but it was too little too late, ending the first quarter down 33-15.
Mabrey summarized the execution lapse perfectly post-game:
âWe didnât execute our game plan whatsoever. If youâre going to do that against a team like Atlanta youâre going to get beat pretty badly. Honestly, we didnât get beat that badly because we won the last 3 quarters but itâs disappointing to play like that because you work so hard those next 3 quarters to try to come back and then youâre going to come up short.â
While Toronto’s frontcourt showed offensive flashes, they struggled to contain Atlantaâs powerhouse trio of Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, and Madina Okot, who combined for 49 points.
Beyond Mabrey, the backcourt continues to struggle offensively. With Kiki Rice and Brittney Sykes out, the Tempo havenât found a consistent second scorer to rely on. Julie Allemand, Tima Pouye and Kia Nurse are reliable role players but may not have the prowess the Tempo need to fill the void.
The Outlook
The Tempo have developed a bad habit of starting slow and spending the rest of the game playing catch-up. With an already intense schedule and a short bench, the Tempo need to find a way to start the game with authority to avoid furthering their visible fatigue and to dictate play from the first whistle.
We love the accountability from Mabrey after the game, calling out herself and the team to address this:
âPersonally as one of the leaders I need to find a way to help us come out ready to play. And also, everyone else in that starting lineup. They gotta come out and be ready to play. Thatâs all there is to it.
Toronto has an immediate opportunity to course-correct tonight against a Los Angeles Sparks team missing star player Kelsey Plum (out at least four weeks with a lower left leg injury).
With a brutal July stretch looming – where eight of the next nine games are against teams above .500 – these next few matchups are near-mandatory wins for the Tempo.
The Sparks will also be without Cameron Brink tonight due to a left ankle sprain. On the Tempo side, Rice and Sykes remain ruled out for their 8th and 3rd consecutive games, respectively.
The Toronto Tempo fanbase breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was reported that the injury to Brittney Sykes ended up being a plantar fascia injury (as opposed to an achilles injury – speculated by many fans over the past few days). She is expected to return this season.
However, that update also suggests that both Slim and Kiki Rice will be out for the foreseeable future. Nyara Sabally continues to be out and Tèmà FågbÊnlÊ is clearly not back to one hundred percent.
Moreover, as we saw during the latter part of the game against the Indiana Fever and the five-minute scoring drought in the second quarter against the Connecticut Sun, the Tempo are now in need of a player who can handle the ball and create a bit more offense, especially when Marina Mabrey takes her rest. In short, this team needs help.
Make no mistake: Slim was averaging 20.1 points per game (currently placing her fifth in the W), along with 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists. These shoes canât be filled by one player; however, we do wonder if the Tempo can find a hardship contract player who can provide some offensive spark and stability at the guard position.
What is a hardship contract?
For injury-riddled teams in the WNBA like the Toronto Tempo, as explained by a great piece by Colin Salao, hardship contracts can be granted to âteams with at least two players out with injury, illness, or other conditions for at least three weeks – and the injured player must have already missed at least two games.â Developmental players are not counted towards determining hardship eligibility.Â
Thanks to the new CBA, hardship contracts are pro-rated to 100% of a minimum contract, which now ranges between $270K to $300K.
As far as the updates indicate, the Tempo are eligible for a hardship contract.
Because of the still very competitive nature of roster spots on WNBA teams, there are free agents on the market who could help the Tempo stabilize during this next stretch without Slim and Kiki.
After scanning the current free agent landscape, here are three available players who the Tempo should take a look at.
Julie Vanloo
Our first endorsement (by a mile) is Julie Vanloo. Vanloo entered into the league as an older rookie with lots of experience overseas. While she has bounced around the league from team to team, Vanloo is proven to be a smart ball handler who plays with pace, can pass, and create her own shot.
Everybody eats when Julie Vanloo is on the floor đ˝ď¸ She dropped a CAREER-HIGH 11 AST and 12 PTS in the @nylibertyâs first win of the szn! WNBA Tip-Off 2026 | @CarMax #WNBA#basketball#season30
Before being cut by the New York Liberty this season, Vanloo was averaging 5.8 points – shooting 53% from the field and 50% from 3 – along with an average of 5.4 assists. Yes, it was only five games and, yes, her career averages are lower. However, Vanloo shares one quality with Slim that the Tempo can really use during Slimâs absence and that is the nasty. When all else fails, Vanloo is unafraid to take the big shot. This can be really important during the minutes when Mabrey needs to take a breather.
We have seen that Coach Brondello prefers veteran players. We have also seen that Tima Pouye is not a player who can create reliably. Vanloo can fill that void. We should also mention that Vanloo has ample experience and synergy playing with fellow Belgian guard, Julie Allemand.
Shey Peddy
Shey Peddy is an experienced guard who is known for her defensive tenaciousness, hustle, steady hand, and some ability to space the floor. In the 2025 season, Peddy was signed by the Indiana Fever to a 7-day hardship contract and ended up playing important reserve minutes in the conference semi-final against the Las Vegas Aces. Admittedly, that Fever team was injury-riddled and desperately needed players, but this team also took the Aces to five games. Peddy finished that season averaging 5.2 points and 1.7 assists, shooting 52.8% from the field.
While Peddy is 37 years old, we know that this Tempo team has leaned more towards veterans rather than young talent. Also, Peddy played for Coach Sandy Brondello during the 2020 – 2021 seasons so Coach Brondello will be very familiar with her game.
That being said, if we were to rely on this hardship player to create their own shot and spark the second-unit offense, Peddy would not be a good fit for that role.
J.J. Quinnerly
J.J. Quinnerly caught our attention last season with her quickness and stellar perimeter defense. For the Dallas Wings, she also averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in her rookie season. She also had a stretch in her rookie season where she averaged double digits for six straight games on good efficiency. These are excellent numbers for a third round pick!
Unfortunately, Quinnerly suffered a knee injury that sidelined her for the last part of the 2025 season and she only appeared in two games for the Wings this season before being waived. Quinnerlyâs game also reminds us a bit of what the Tempo see in Tima Pouye, so Quinnerly might be a bit duplicative for this team.
Final thoughts
After a scan of the available free agents, we think that Julie Vanloo fits best with what can help the Tempo immediately without compromising the longer term vision of this team, including (hopefully) finally seeing this team fully healthy for the first time this season.Â
However, none of these candidates address the continuing challenge the Tempo have in the interior. Unfortunately, no current free agents stood out as candidates who can address our rim protection, rebounding, and interior scoring needs (Chloe Bibby could be interesting, but she is a stretch big like Izzy Harrison). Without an obvious candidate, we will continue to hope that Temi and Nyara can get fully healthy soon.
Under the most unlikely of scenarios, the Toronto Tempo came back from a sixteen point deficit to beat the Connecticut Sun 101 – 97 on the road in the teamsâ second matchup in a week.
We break down the good, bad, and outlook
The Good
We have seen her do this before, but still have to pick our jaws up from the floor. Marina Mabrey did it again, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, and establishing a new career high 37 points. She was simply sublime in the 4th, hitting five 3-pointers and attacking the closeout and splitting defenses for layups. It seemed like the Sun may have thought that this game was over before then. Their defense was shell-shocked and defended like they were in quicksand while Mabrey simply could not miss.
If you havenât caught this game yet, do it. Mabreyâs performance will dazzle you and make you a believer.
— Womenâs Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 20, 2026
Beyond Mabreyâs sensational game, we also want to give a shout out to TèmĂ FĂĄgbĂŠnlĂŠ, who also scored a career high this game with 19 points. She also nearly attained a double-double with nine rebounds. This was the most confident we have seen FĂĄgbĂŠnlĂŠ since returning from injury. She played with less hesitancy and far more fluidity, taking shots and being part of good ball movement. Defensively, our team still has a long way to go to protect the paint, but this game was largely positive for FĂĄgbĂŠnlĂŠ.
We also want to give a big shout out to MarĂa Conde who contributed 19 points off the bench, hitting five 3âs with swagger. It feels like you can really tell when Conde is feeling her shot (her legs mid-air have a tell) and she was on fire tonight.
Finally, we note the improvement in ball movement. There were more moments in this game where we saw an extra cut or an extra pass and it led to good results. More of that, please!
Like the previous game against the Connecticut Sun, the weaknesses amongst the Tempo team are glaring. The Sun outscored the Tempo in the paint, 54 – 32. The combination of Brittney Griner, Aneesa Morrow, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa further got their hands on too many offensive rebounds or tip out for second and third chances on defense. They put on a clinic in the third quarter and it looked like the Sun were going to run away with this game, thanks to those clear advantages.
In addition, the Tempo once again struggled with their transition defense. We have noticed that while the Tempo are excellent when they turn their opponents over and attack in transition, we are not very strong in defending this same situation. The speed of the Sunâs attack in transition led to automatic points. This is reminiscent of the Tempoâs struggle against players like Allisha Gray.
The Outlook
As with the last time the Tempo faced the Sun, they played the Dream next in their house.
This rematch comes on the heels of an event-filled first matchup. You can read about why in that gameâs report, but we anticipate the Atlanta fans will not be kind to Izzy and the Tempo will have to weather that storm.
More importantly, in that first game against the Dream, the Tempo really struggled to contain Atlantaâs star-studded combo of Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard who scored 26 and 24 respectively.
The Tempo need a better defensive game plan to prevent them from going off again. And, we will have to do so without our best two defensive guards available.
A tough night all around for the Toronto Tempo. Kelsey Mitchell and the Indiana Fever dismantled the Tempo 113-91, handing them their 3rd straight loss. To make matters worse, star guard Brittney Sykes left the game with a non-contact injury that left fans fearing the worst.
Letâs discuss the good, the bad and the outlook.
The Good
Hopes were high in the first half as the Tempo looked up to the task early on, going basket-for-basket with the Fever. This was largely due to Laura JuĹĄkaitÄ, who matched her career-high with 19 points, including scoring 10 points in two minutes during the second quarter alone. It was a well-rounded performance from the Lithuanian rookie, who also chipped in four assists, two rebounds and three steals on the night.Â
But JuĹĄkaitÄ wasnât alone in her efforts. Marina Mabrey recorded 11 points and five assists in the first half – a performance that reminded us that sheâs more than just a deep threat. Mabrey found ways to create for herself but also others, finishing with 18 points and 7 assists. This was a strong outing and something we hope Mabrey can continue moving forward with an injury-ridden backcourt.
Entering halftime with only a 3-point deficit felt like a great spot to be for the Tempo. Sykes, Harrison and CondĂŠ were all contributing and it seemed we were headed towards a signature Tempo dogfight. This is when we unfortunately moved to the bad.Â
The Bad
The wheels fell off quickly in the third quarter as Indiana outscored Toronto 32-23. The Tempo struggled to contain the Fever backcourt with Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham who both caught fire to combine for 21 of Indianaâs 32 points in the frame.
But the real dagger came at the 6:46 mark. While driving to the basket, Brittney Sykes dropped to the floor in sudden, visible pain. A collective breath was held across Tempo Nation as “Slim” exited the game with what was immediately deemed a non-contact foot injury.
Sandy Brondelloâs face said it all when the camera panned to the Tempoâs head coach with her head in her hands and a worrisome look spread across her face. Thankfully, the post-game diagnosis offered a massive sigh of relief. The latest updates indicate that Sykes has suffered a plantar fascia injury, a relief compared to the devastating Achilles tear that fans initially feared. Toronto expects Sykes back on the hardwood at some point this season but an exact timeline remains up in the air.
While the second half is best left forgotten for Toronto, the final box score highlights glaring issues the Tempo must address. Rebounding remains a massive vulnerability, especially with Nyara Sabally and Kiki Rice out of the lineup. The Fever dominated the glass 47â22.
Furthermore, Toronto continues to struggle against elite playmakers. Much like previous outings against Olivia Miles and Georgia Amoore, the Tempo defense was easily deconstructed by Caitlin Clark, who dished out 14 assists. When the Tempo weren’t letting Clark dictate the floor, they were putting her on the line. Helped by a whistle-happy referee crew, Clark attempted 14 free throws which nearly matched the total amount of free throws awarded to the Tempo on the night.Â
The Outlook
With a roster that was already facing adversity from a number of injuries this season, the loss of Sykes feels almost insurmountable. For Tempo fans the concern has gone from yellow to red but the show must go on.
Tonight feels like a must win situation for the Toronto Tempo (7-8) as their roadtrip offers them a chance to snap their losing streak against the league-worst Connecticut Sun (2-14). This is their second clash with Connecticut this month, with Toronto stealing an OT win in their last matchup just 9 days ago. However, things change fast in this league and the Tempo will be without their top scorer with Sykes out.
Kiki Rice remains out as she recovers from her ankle injury and Nyara Sabally is listed as questionable for tonightâs game. While Julie Allemand did exit the Fever game with a headache, we expect she’ll be back in tonightâs lineup.
The question on everyoneâs mind – can this team continue to compete with only 9-10 players available on any given night? Stay tuned for some thoughts from your Tempo.basketball crew on who front office management might target if a hardship contract is in the works.
