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  • Tempo vs Portland Fire Game Report – August 6, 2026

    Tempo vs Portland Fire Game Report – August 6, 2026

    The road-weary Toronto Tempo was unable to keep up with the Portland Fire and fell 97 – 83, and extending their losing streak to eight games. 

    We break down the Good, Bad, and Outlook from this game. 

    The Good

    Admittedly, this was a tough game for Tempo fans to watch and we wish there was more good to take from this game. 

    Nevertheless, there were some small bright spots. This includes newly acquired, Aneesah Morrow. Morrow is every bit as advertised. Every time she was on the floor, she brought refreshing energy and tenacity that this team sorely needs. Even in a bench role, she led the team in rebounds and shot the ball efficiently for 11 points. She was also able to finish inside with strength. 

    We also want to give a nod to Laura Juškaitė and Nyara Sabally. No, neither shot the ball efficiently but they demonstrated their creativity and willingness to switch it up on offense. When the Fire defense doubled the ball handler, Sabally slipped past the defenders to get open near the free throw line or cut to the basket to attack inside. 

    Meanwhile, Juškaitė was arguably the only Tempo player who played with patience and always tried to make the right next play to help the Tempo offense. 

    This trio, along with Julie Allemand and Maria Conde, also spearheaded the only stretch in the middle of the 4th quarter where the Tempo played with hunger, determination, and urgency. Yes, we realize the Fire had probably let go of the rope by that point, but the Tempo have to find a way to bottle up the type of hustle and competitiveness demonstrated in that stretch for the team to find their way out of this losing streak.

    The Bad

    The broadcast said it the best, Portland looks like they were having fun; the Tempo did not. Let’s be honest. The Tempo looked road-weary and deflated from this ongoing losing streak. And it showed on the court. The Tempo missed a lot of layups, free throws, and 3-pointers. The passing was flat and there were a lot of isolation plays from individual players, leading to poor shots.

    With the Tempo offense struggling, the Fire took full advantage. Missed shots led to easy run outs by the Fire who absolutely thrive in these types of situations. 

    The Tempo also looked lethargic on the defensive end. The Fire must have sensed that Mabrey did not look 100 percent healthy out there and made her work on defense. This led to open stepback 3s and blow bys. 

    The Tempo further struggled to handle the speed of Carla Leite. Simply put, she carved our perimeter defenders and left them in the dust, leading to easy layups and passes to open shooters. She was also deadly from 3 and shot a whopping 15 of 17 from the free throw line. As a result, Leite scored a game high 27 points. 

    The Outlook

    The road does not get easier for the Tempo. Their five-game road trip continues and the team travels to Atlanta to play the Dream next. The Dream have taken all three of the matchups so far this season, and most of those games have resulted in one controversy or another. 

    The Dream currently hold the record for the fourth best team in the WNBA and feature a potent combination of star players, including Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese, and Brionna Jones, who recently returned from injury and is one of the best bigs in the game.  

    The cards are certainly stacked against the Tempo. But, we are going to lean into Florence and the Machine when they sing “it’s always darkest before the dawn”. Shake it out, Tempo and Tempo fans. Let’s regroup and come back with some competitive spirit in Atlanta. 

  • Tempo vs Valkyries Game Report – August 4, 2026

    Tempo vs Valkyries Game Report – August 4, 2026

    The Toronto Tempo kept pace with the Golden State Valkyries for much of their second matchup in three days, but turnovers, poor rebounding, and another fourth-quarter fade resulted in a tough 92-81 loss.

    Toronto led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter, but Golden State closed the first half on a 16–4 run before pulling away late. The loss extends the Tempo’s losing streak to seven games.

    We break down the Good, Bad, and Outlook from the game.

    The Good

    Aneesah Morrow saw her first minutes in a Tempo jersey, and it was exciting to see her make an immediate impact. Her first basket came less than a minute after checking in, when she confidently knocked down a 3-pointer.

    Morrow 24′ 3PT Jump Shot (3 PTS) (Allemand 2 AST) c/o https://stats.wnba.com

    Morrow finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block in just over 16 minutes. She brought exactly the type of energy and aggression the Tempo had hoped to add when they acquired her, particularly on the glass. With Toronto struggling badly with rebounding this season, Morrow should have plenty of opportunities to make her mark.

    MISS Burton 2′ Driving Layup c/o https://stats.wnba.com

    The Tempo also showed more hustle than we have seen in some recent games (even during the final minutes). Several loose-ball scrambles ended with players on the floor, and Kiki Rice reminded us that she refuses to give up on a play.

    Morrow 2′ Driving Layup (5 PTS) c/o https://stats.wnba.com

    Julie Allemand quietly put together another excellent all-around performance. She finished with seven points, eight assists, four steals, and zero turnovers. Maria Conde also continued her strong play, scoring 17 points and hitting five three-pointers.

    The Bad

    This game gave me a bit of deja-vu.

    The Tempo came out strong, the Valkyries increased their physicality, Toronto became flustered, and the offence fizzled out in the fourth quarter. Even the post-game presser sounded like it could have come from any of the previous six losses, with Sandy Brondello repeating the familiar message: “We’ve got to be a little bit tougher.”

    Toronto led by 13 mid-way through the second quarter, but that lead disappeared quickly mid-way through the second quarter. During one 23–4 Golden State run, the Tempo shot just 1-for-8 and committed six turnovers. By the fourth quarter, they managed only 13 points.

    Once again, the Tempo got beat up physically. Marina Mabrey took a shoulder to the face early in the first quarter, while Nyara Sabally could still be seen holding her ribs following contact. The continuing injuries are worrying, and several players clearly are not operating at full strength.

    Toronto was also dominated on the glass. Golden State outrebounded the Tempo 44–31 and collected 15 offensive rebounds. It is difficult enough to beat a team as good as the Valkyries without repeatedly giving them additional possessions.

    Mabrey finished with 12 points on 4-for-11 shooting and missed all four of her three-point attempts despite playing 35 minutes. The Tempo need to find more effective ways to get Marina open and shooting in rhythm. Being tightly guarded and repeatedly double-teamed is clearly getting frustrating. But, this is what good teams do and it is on the Tempo to adjust and come out with a better game plan.

    The Outlook

    Tonight, the Tempo face the Portland Fire, who sit at 11–19 and are attempting to end a five-game losing streak of their own. Toronto has now lost seven straight, so something has to give.

    Portland won the first meeting between the expansion teams 99–80, although Mabrey and Rice each scored an impressive 19 points for Toronto.

    This is one of the more winnable games remaining on the Tempo’s schedule, but they cannot afford another collapse after halftime. Toronto needs to protect the ball, compete on the glass, and maintain its physicality for all four quarters, not just the first two.

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  • Tempo vs Valkyries Game Report – August 2, 2026

    Tempo vs Valkyries Game Report – August 2, 2026

    When push came to shove, the Tempo were unable to keep up with the Golden State Valkryies’ physicality, falling 96-79 and extending their losing streak to six games.

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

    The Good

    For two and a half quarters, the shorthanded Tempo kept up with the third-seeded Valkyries. Despite their lack of effectiveness from the 3-point line, the Tempo switched up their strategy, using physicality and attack inside the paint. While this has generally been an area in need of improvement, they executed the strategy against the Valkyries’ defense. 

    Kiki Rice and Nyara Sabally both shone in this style of offense. Kiki reminded us of her strength and tenacity, getting to the basket and finishing while remaining completely unafraid of contact. Our rookie finished with 16 points, shooting an efficient 6-of-12 from the field.

    Meanwhile, Nyara scored a game-high 19 points for the Tempo, also shooting 6 of 12 from the field. Her speed and finishing abilities were on full display, while also contributing three 3-pointers. In addition, we saw Sabally hit a couple of pick-and-pop midrange shots that we typically see Izzy Harrison make consistently, but not as consistently for Sabally. She hit them with confidence this game, and we wonder if this could be the next step toward unlocking her offensive toolkit. 

    For those two and a half quarters, despite not having their leading offensive creators on the floor, the Tempo played well as a team and gave us hope that they might be able to steal this game. That was especially true midway through the third quarter, where we saw peak Tempo basketball: active hands on defense leading to transition baskets at the other end.

    The Bad

    However, in the final quarter and a half, Golden State adjusted their game plan and increased their physicality on both ends of the floor. From there, the scrappiness and physicality of the Valkyries flustered the Tempo, leading to Toronto turnovers and successful Golden State drives to the basket. This stretch was reminiscent of their first matchup where Golden State simply bullied the Tempo to submission. Unfortunately, the same problem reared its head again.

    Similar to their first matchup, the Golden State bench played phenomenally. Janelle Salaün came off the bench to score a game-high 24 points and looked simply unstoppable. Toronto Raptors fans might see some similarities between her game and watching Brandon Ingram last season. Once they get to their spots, even if their shot is not the quickest, it is money (even with a hand in the face). Overall, the Valkyries’ bench scored 46 points to the Tempo’s 8. 

    Finally, we have to mention that Golden State shot 48% from the 3-point line, shooting 14-of-29 from the field, while the Tempo only shot 23% (7 of 30). While the Tempo did find success dictating the physicality in the first two and half quarters, once the script was flipped, they reverted to relying on the 3-ball and couldn’t find the bottom of the net.

    The Outlook

    The same two teams will be facing off again at Chase Center for a rematch. Knowing how much success the Valkyries have with their physicality, we expect them to bring that intensity from minute one. It is up to Coach Sandy Brondello and the Tempo to find ways to counter that intensity and find success without letting the Valkyries get under your skin. 

    On offense, we liked seeing the Tempo attack the paint more. From this past game, you can see that Kiki Rice and Nyara Sabally can both be used in these ways. Can they find a better balance between going inside and shooting the 3-ball, making themselves more dynamic and harder for the Valkyries to guard? 

    What might help is the arrival of newly acquired player, Aneesah Morrow, who is slated to play and does not back down from any physicality. It will be exciting to see what she brings, and this game could provide the perfect opportunity for her to showcase her strengths. 

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  • Tempo vs Lynx Game Report – July 30, 2026

    Tempo vs Lynx Game Report – July 30, 2026

    Despite the huge fan turnout of 18,145 at Scotiabank Arena, the Toronto Tempo weren’t able to pull off an upset against the Minnesota Lynx. They lost their second matchup in three days against the Lynx 104-72.

    The Good

    The Tempo came out strong in Q1 with a 12-3 run, playing quickly, passing dimes, and controlling the tempo. Juškaitė’s court vision was next level with several clutch assists; she also finished the quarter with 9 points.

    Conde 5′ Turnaround Bank Shot (2 PTS) (Juskaite 1 AST) c/o https://stats.wnba.com/

    Mabrey wasn’t able to find success at range, so she took it to the paint; finding ways to score, even when being double-teamed. Later, after being chopped in the neck, Mabrey channeled her range into a fierce 3-pointer. Not sure how Marina’s “energy coach” feels about this, but you can definitely see Marina channel her rage like a super sayan and I’m here for it.

    Mabrey 2′ Cutting Layup Shot (6 PTS) (Juskaite 2 AST) c/o https://stats.wnba.com/

    Even though they are both on limited minutes and not back to 100%, it was exciting to see Sabally and Rice back on the floor together. Fingers crossed that we may have both Sykes and Harrison back before the end of the regular season.

    The Bad

    Before I get into the game, I want to talk about the broadcast. I’m not sure if this is the fault of the venue or the broadcast team, but the stream was a comedic disaster to start. Neither member of the broadcast team could be heard for introductions, audio was all over the place and there was no overlay for nearly the first 5 minutes of the game!?

    The defensive pressure being put on our players feels quite intense; sometimes we are straight getting beat up! Marina was hit in the face, chopped in the neck, and was being guarded like glue. Meanwhile Sabally took a wild pass to the face from Miles, and later could be seen holding her rib (injured during the July 17th game against the Atlanta Dream) after a body foul from Courtney Williams. Sandy said “Nyara has an issue, she probably shouldn’t have played today” but noted “she wanted to be out there”.

    Howard REBOUND (Off:5 Def:1) c/o https://stats.wnba.com

    The biggest problem was taking care of the ball. Toronto committed a brutal 24 turnovers, which Minnesota converted into 31 points. The Lynx also dominated the effort categories, finishing with 18 second-chance points to Toronto’s four and outrebounding the Tempo by 10.

    Minnesota is a championship favourite, riding a nine-game winning streak, so an upset was always going to be difficult. Still, Toronto is capable of keeping the game far closer than 32 points as evidenced by the last matchup on Tuesday. There seems to be a real issue with drive and hustle. Sandy did not mince words during the presser saying “That’s embarrassing. This is our home court.” and that the team “didn’t compete, it was too easy”.

    The Outlook

    Both Nyara Sabally and Kiki Rice saw meaningful minutes, although neither appeared fully healthy or back in rhythm. Having Kiki back is hopefully going to reignite our offense, but that will take time. “It’s going to take her a few games to get her rhythm, to get the rust out.” Sandy said at the post-game presser. But overall, the message has been fairly clear from coach; the team needs to turn up the physicality, energy, and hustle.

    In their previous meeting with Golden State, Toronto led for most of the game but suffered a familiar fourth-quarter collapse, allowing the Valkyries to go on a 12–0 run. The Tempo need to keep a level head, take Sandy’s words to heart, and contain Gabby Williams in order to pull off a win on Sunday.

    As we wrote about yesterday, the Tempo made a trade before the Sunday deadline, securing Aneesah Morrow. The timing of the trade feels especially relevant after Minnesota dominated Toronto on the glass. Morrow arrives averaging 8.9 rebounds per game, addressing one of the Tempo’s clearest weaknesses. She may not be available Sunday, but her rebounding, physicality, and consistent effort could provide exactly what this roster has been missing.

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  • Tempo trade for Aneesah Morrow

    Tempo trade for Aneesah Morrow

    Give the Toronto Tempo credit. They are not messing around!

    As reported by Alexa Phillipou, the Tempo have traded for Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for the rights to Mariia Kliundicova and a 2028 second round pick. 

    This is absolutely a phenomenal pickup for the Tempo. 

    Coming into the league, Aneesah Morrow was billed as an elite rebounder and double-double machine with the ability to shoot the ball from distance as well. 

    In the one and a half seasons she has played in the league, Morrow has lived up to the hype. This season, she is averaging close to a double-double with 11.6 points and 8.9 rebounds. Despite being undersized at 6’1” at the power forward position, Morrow has elite strength, hustle, and energy that propels her to be able to more than hold her own against taller players on both ends of the court.  

    For the Tempo, Morrow’s strengths will immediately be helpful and welcomed to this team. 

    On the defensive side, Morrow fills exactly what the Tempo have desperately needed all season long. As Zulfi Sheikh notes, Morrow led the league in defensive rebounding rate last season (31.9%). This season, the Tempo are second-worst in the league in defensive rebounding and third-worst in rebounding overall. At an average of 8.9 rebounds per game, Morrow is currently ranked eighth in the league in rebounding. For reference, Izzy Harrison is currently the Tempo’s leading rebounder with 6.4 rebounds per game. Morrow will come in and immediately become the Tempo’s best rebounder. 

    On the offensive side, while Morrow still needs to improve her scoring efficiency (she is currently shooting just 42% from the field, 28% from 3, and 62% from the free throw line), she works best operating in the paint through drives, hustle plays, and working in the dunker spot. The Tempo have lacked points in the paint all season long and Morrow can immediately improve that area of need. 

    Finally, Morrow is still only 23 years old and under contract until 2028 with lots of room to grow.  

    We can’t wait to watch her play in a Tempo jersey. Welcome Aneesah!