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  • Tempo vs Dream Game Report – June 14, 2026

    Tempo vs Dream Game Report – June 14, 2026

    Despite a strong start, the Toronto Tempo were not able to keep up with the Atlanta Dream and fell 102 – 77.

    We break down the good, bad, and outlook.

    The Good

    The Tempo started this game like they were shot out of a cannon, displaying great energy on defense and ball movement on offense, and going on an early run. Isabelle Harrison, in particular, had the quarter of her life, and scored 9 points while limiting Angel Reese’s production to going 1 for 6 from the field. Allisha Gray also went 0-2 and Rhyne Howard was the only Dream player who had her shot going. For a hot minute, we thought that we may have caught Atlanta ‘dreaming’ and could run away with this one.

    Predictably, the Dream came back in the second. Gray scored 11 points and the Dream flipped an 8 point deficit into an 8 point lead going into the second half.

    The Dream did not let up their offensive production in the third quarter. The Tempo tried their best to keep this game within striking distance. However this quarter also saw the turning point of the game.

    The Bad

    To address it immediately: since minute one of this game, Izzy Harrison and Angel Reese went at each other physically and verbally. In the third quarter, Reese followed by Izzy were assessed delays of game for trying to pry/slap the ball from one another’s hands after plays ended. Had these been called as technicals, we suspect escalation in physicality could have been prevented. Angel also did not get a call when she grabbed a rebound when she was – upon instant replay – clearly well out of bounds, which riled up the crowd and bench at Coca Cola Coliseum.

    With 6:05 left and Reese posting Izzy up, Harrison pulled Reese down from behind with both hands and above Reese’s shoulders. Whether or not it was intentional, it was a dangerous play and a flagrant 2 was correctly called.

    After Harrison’s ejection, the Tempo tried to keep the score within striking distance after 3 quarters. In the fourth, however, the Dream sealed the victory with the combination of their size advantage, Allisha Gray’s unstoppable shotmaking, and their impeccable ball movement to always find the best shot. Temi Fagbenle, still getting back into game shape from a right shoulder injury, tried her best but Reese was able to get 8 points in the first two minutes in the 4th.

    On the defensive side, we have to tip our hats to Atlanta’s defense. We saw Gray give Mabrey very little space to operate during the entire game (going 2 for 11 from the field). Sykes didn’t fare much better going 5 for 12.

    We also have to give credit to Atlanta’s role players. Isobel Borlase set a new career high, scoring 17 off the bench, with Te’hina Pao Pao and Jordin Canada also scoring key 3’s in the second half.

    And, we have to be realistic. Atlanta has been building a contender team for years. With this calibre of competition, we knew that the Tempo were coming in as underdogs and needed to play a stellar game to win. There were glimpses of that in the early parts of the game, but ultimately the more talented team won.

    The Outlook

    On Tuesday, the Tempo face the Indiana Fever for the first time. Similar to the Atlanta Dream, the Fever feature a top-calibre center in Aliyah Boston, paired with 2025 all-WNBA first team player, Kelsey Mitchell, and WNBA Eastern Conference player of the week, Caitlin Clark.

    The Dream once again exposed how thin the Tempo’s rim protection can be. Aliyah Boston loves to play physical in the low post and will look to expose that again. The Tempo will also have to find a way to slow down Mitchell, one of the fastest players in the W. If the Tempo don’t keep up, Mitchell will run circles around you and dazzle you with sensational drives. Finally, the Tempo can’t let Clark go off from the 3, but even if they take away the 3, her vision and passing will be a handful.

    The Tempo will need to take the lessons learned from this game and play a higher level game from start to finish to be able to have a chance to upset the Fever.

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  • Why is it so hard to get Tempo merch?

    Why is it so hard to get Tempo merch?

    Our crew is not from Toronto. Ordering online has been hit and miss, with sizing all over the place. So we saved our pennies for when we came to Toronto for some games in early June. We thought surely we would find merch everywhere!? Ugh, we were wrong.

    Our goals were to find nice looking gear in our sizes, and to pick up our favourite players’ jerseys – with the opportunity to try on before buying. Here’s what we found, first by store, and then regarding sizing.

    Peace Collective

    Peace Collective Toronto Map

    All the gear from the Peace Collective website appeared in store. It is definitely not cheap but high quality. Sadly sizes were quite limited at both the Distillery District and smaller Union Station location. Each store only displays one or two of each item and staff advised they have other sizes in the back, but when requested, only one item we were looking at was available to try in our size.

    Real Sports Apparel

    We had expected to be able to get custom jerseys at Real Sports Apparel at Scotiabank Arena; They had stock of Rice, Nurse, and Mabrey, but sadly after a check in with the manager, they said that for any other player, they would send the jersey off to a 3rd party and estimated it would take two weeks to get back!? It would also cost an additional $100!?

    Their selection of shirts, etc. was pretty basic, at best(I am seriously considering the Roots jacket, but at close to $800 this might have to be a “maybe if we make playoffs” decision). Other than the jacket, the black hooded sweatshirt was a standout item, and won’t cost you half your paycheque. It also appears to be on the Tempo online store.

    Sport Chek

    A small section of WNBA gear was nestled into a corner of the Sport Chek across from Scotiabank Arena . Of course there were umpteen Caitlyn Clark jerseys. A few baseball caps, but no snapbacks. Tempo jerseys were present in smaller numbers and they can print, but only Mabrey, Rice, and Nurse. No full customization is allowed (eg: your own name) as they receive lettering packs per player. They did not have lettering packs for any other players but were expecting Sykes soon. They did not yet have any lettering for the Rebel (hydrogen blue) jerseys despite having a few blank jerseys on site.

    We found some nice looking women’s crop sweatshirts, but found the fit to be a bit awkward – especially on people with breasts.

    Canadian Tire

    Like finding a needle in a haystack, Canadian Tire on Dundas had the worst selection. We wandered around the lower level through a sea of blue jays gear for a while, then through some various-nation soccer merch (yes, world cup is on) then finally found some Tempo merch; two shirts and some hats in a corner, right next to some PWHL jerseys. There were Tempo basketballs in the ball section, a few aisles away. If you are on a budget, start here. The grey tee is kids, but goes up to a size XL which would be comparable to a women’s S. The hats (adjustable ball caps) were only $20.

    Roots

    Into the Eaton Centre, Roots has a small store with a decent WNBA section. The prices are high, but the quality is quite good as well. The store seemed to have greater size availability in the items they’re stocking. I don’t love that some of the gear has the Roots logo larger than the Tempo logo, but I guess it’s expected.

    Coca-Cola Coliseum

    The best merch is definitely at Coca-Cola Coliseum, but it is counter-style service. Expect a big queue. You request items and they will bring it up. The experience was a bit rushed but some of the tellers were more chill than others. Several of our crew held their ground and managed to try on items before buying. We found lots of hats, some great shirts, and the standard Mabrey, Rice, Nurse jersey. At the game on June 10th, they had added a Sykes jersey to the list.

    Sizing & Online

    Given the lack of sizing in store, and also the lack of players available on jerseys, online remains a top option – unfortunately. Here’s what we’ve learned.

    Jerseys

    While we didn’t find good customizing options locally (we want Sabally and Jûskaitė!), we did get to try on and buy some jerseys. A youth XL fit for someone who typically wears a men’s XS. The S jersey fit our friend who typically wears a women’s medium. We found that the Medium jersey fits those who usually wear a women’s L or men’s S.

    Tempo Tees

    These seem to fit most true to size. Some are labelled youth, some women, some unisex.

    Roots

    Having tried (and failed) with some online orders, we can advise that the Unisex gear fits larger than advertised, but the women’s fits small (and yes, we did measure).

    Peace Collective

    We’ve found that the Peace Collective gear fits larger than listed – this isn’t just a factor of boxy fits. A Women’s L tee turned out to be XL or larger. A Unisex S tee fits boxy and well for a woman typically wearing a L.

    TLDR

    If you want a custom Jersey consider trying one on for sizing, but ordering online so you can pick which player you want (and possibly save money). The merch at Coca-Cola Coliseum was our favorite and some of it is exclusive (the Rice, Mabrey, and Nurse player-feature tees). Peace Collective and Roots have som neat stuff, but are pricey and sizing can be a challenge. Canadian Tire offers some of the cheapest (but limited) merch if you’re just trying to get something basic.

    Overall, finding the right merch continues to be hard. Availability is questionable, some things are online only, others are in person only. If you see something you like, buy it. That said, we’ve witnessed new availability emerge over the course of a week, so keep looking (and keep asking the team and league to give fans what they want)! Go Tempo!

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  • Tempo vs Mystics Game Report – June 12, 2026

    Tempo vs Mystics Game Report – June 12, 2026

    Thanks to an amazing buzzer beater by Sonia Citron, the Toronto Tempo fell 86-85 to the Washington Mystics despite a heroic second half performance by Marina Mabrey.

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

    The Good

    The story of this game really began in the third quarter. The Tempo had played a less-than-average but still competitive game up until that point; however, at the start of the 3rd quarter, the Tempo started to lose their focus and composure. The Mystics took full advantage of all the Tempo’s poor shots and turnovers, increasing their lead from 3 to 17 points.

    Credit also goes to Coach Sandy Brondello and her decision to pull the lineup with most of our starters with 3:32 left in the 3rd quarter and inserted Tima Pouye, Julie Allemand, Laura Juškaitė to play alongside Izzy and Maria Conde (or as we affectionately call the Euros and Izzy). The Tempo were down by 18 at that point and this lineup showcased ball movement, crisp and multiple passes, and a more fluid offense.

    While we cannot credit this lineup with the Tempo’s comeback, it did shrink the lead to 11 and the lineup battled hard to shift the energy of this game.

    Then, with 6 minutes left in the 4th, Marina Mabrey checked back in and, if you haven’t seen the highlights, you must. She went into God-mode and scored 13 points in just under 3 minutes (including three 3-pointers) to shave the Mystics’ lead from 13 to 3. With thirty seconds to go, she hit yet another 3 pointer making this unlikely comeback suddenly a possibility.

    With 17.7 seconds left, the Tempo – down by 1 – drew up a play where Slim drove using a screen all the way to the basket for an easy layup for the Tempo to go up by 1 with 11 seconds left. Could she have held it longer for the last shot? Sure. But, when you are that open, you take the points and let your defense win you the game. Ultimately, it was the right decision.

    Unfortunately, for the Tempo, Sonia Citron – who did not have a great offensive night – hit a fadeaway buzzer beater to win it for the Mystics.

    The Bad

    As inspired as we were by Mabrey’s epic performance in the 4th quarter, we have to be honest: the Tempo had no business winning this game. Similar to the Sun, the Mystics exposed the Tempo’s lack of frontcourt size and either dumped it into the post for Lauren Betts to use her size and impeccable footwork to score easily or they would kick it out to Onyenwere or Dugalic and they would attack the Tempo defender’s closeouts for a clear lane to the basket or muscle their way to the basket.

    The Mystics have not been shooting the 3-ball well this season (even Sonia Citron is just shooting 32% from 3) and they shot just 11% from 3 in this game, but the Tempo were still not able to defend the paint well. Overall, the Mystics outscored the Tempo 54-40 points in the paint.

    Similar to the Sun game, the Mystics also outrebounded the Tempo by a large margin, including ten more offensive rebounds – a recurring issue for the Tempo defense.

    The Outlook

    Next up for the Tempo is the Atlanta Dream. If we thought giving up offensive rebounds was an issue against both Connecticut and Washington, get ready for Angel Reese who leads the league in both defensive and offensive rebounds.  

    Atlanta is currently 8 – 4 in the season and fourth in the standings. They feature Reese in the front court, sharpshooters Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard in the back court, last season’s sixth player of the year award winner Naz Hillmon, and dynamic point guards in Jordin Canada and Te’hina Pao Pao.

    In short, this game won’t be easy. The hope is that Nyara Sabally will be able to return to the lineup and we can finally get a glimpse of the Tempo’s frontcourt together in action now that Temi Fagbenle is back in action. Even if Sabally can return, the Tempo will have to play their best ball to keep up with the Dream.

  • Tempo vs Sun Game Report – June 10, 2026

    Tempo vs Sun Game Report – June 10, 2026

    The Toronto Tempo won the franchise’s first overtime game, 106-102, in a topsy turvy nail biter against the Connecticut Sun.

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

    The Good

    Things were not looking good for the Tempo in the first half. The Sun exercised a brilliant game plan, using their clear size advantage to perfection by dumping the ball into the post to Olivia Nelson-Ododa(ONO) or Aaliyah Edwards to dominate in the paint or kick it out for a 3. On the defensive side, ONO and Regan Beers, made it hard for the Tempo to get anything in the paint.

    In the 3rd quarter, however, the energy in the arena shifted thanks to the Tempo’s disruptive defense – poking balls away from passes and drives – leading to fast break points.

    With 5:42 left in 3rd, Beers went over top of Isabelle Harrison for a rebound. Izzy fought back and Beers ending up with a loose ball foul, sending Izzy to the line in the bonus. While Izzy only hit 1 of 2, the Tempo got the offensive rebound on the second missed free throw and Mabrey hit a logo 3. Next possession, Mabrey hit another 3 and the Coca Cola coliseum erupted in euphoria with the lead down to 2.

    And yet, every time the Tempo threatened to get the lead, the Sun responded by getting to the line or a crucial 3-pointer, including two from Saniya Rivers who has been shooting 19% from the 3-point line this season.

    But, from there, Brittney Sykes took her game to a whole new level. At one point, the Tempo seemed to have run out of ideas and just ran clear-outs for Slim. Did it work every time? No, but did it work enough? Absolutely!

    Give the Sun lots of credit for responding at every turn. In particular Edwards and Leila Lacan who had monster 4th quarters and ONO who took the air out of the arena with every free throw.

    On the Tempo side, in addition to the big scorers, we have to shout out the impact that Laura Juškaitė had, making impact plays that added up.

    With two minutes left in the 4th, the Tempo saw a massive call overturned from a Mabrey defensive foul to an illegal screen by ONO. Shortly after, ONO was called for her sixth foul, leading to more free throws for the Tempo, to tie the game. We will admit that both calls were questionable (as were others). Nevertheless, this was a massive turning point in the game that sent it into overtime. From there, the Tempo’s million-dollar backcourt led the team to a huge comeback victory.

    Finally, this was my first Tempo game being able to watch at the Coca Cola Coliseum and it was easily a 10/10 experience. The atmosphere is electric. The fans are loving this team. The vibes were immaculate.

    The Bad

    In many ways, this game felt like the worst-case scenario for Toronto’s smaller front court (without Temi Fagbenle). The Sun collected 18 offensive rebounds and got their hands on plenty more, and used their size to bully us, even with BG on the bench.

    Despite these persistent size and rebounding issues the Tempo persevered.

    Solving these issues without the return of Temi or adding more size to the roster isn’t straightforward. However, we are reminded of Gilbert Ngabo’s piece about this exact issue after a recent win over the Chicago Sky. In that piece, Coach Brondello said,

    “I know we’re undersized, but it just means everyone has to get in there and help, not just the bigs. It’s a mentality, a mindset to get in there”

    This game was another good reminder of what the Tempo need to establish to be able to hold their own in this league.

    The Outlook

    Next up, the Tempo head on the road to play the Washington Mystics. While the Mystics are young, they already have some impressive talent such as 2025 WNBA all stars, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Irafen.

    This team also features a front court full of size and strength, including Shakira Austin and Lauren Betts, and the Mystics will be smart to execute a similar game plan as what the Sun did tonight.

    The Tempo will have to bring that physical mindset to ensure that they don’t get bullied on the boards again on Friday.

  • Tempo vs Sky Game Report – June 7, 2026

    Tempo vs Sky Game Report – June 7, 2026

    With the return of Isabelle Harrison the Toronto Tempo demolished the Chicago Sky 85-68 this past Sunday afternoon. Chicago appears to be fully imploding, while the Tempo gain some momentum and synergy.

    The Good

    Izzy is back! She had limited minutes back (only 17), but made the most of them; 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal. Her impact was felt and the crowd loved it; Izzy hit a 3-pointer in the 4th that made the stadium explode! So good!

    Slim got downhill early and kept going! She was relentless driving to the hoop and ending the game with 25! She continues to be a menace on the court both offensively and defensively, and we are here for it.

    The Bad

    Kiki being injured is a major bummer. She appeared in some pre-game photos, but wasn’t on the bench. Hopefully this isn’t a bad sign. 3 pointers weren’t dropping today, finishing with an abysmal 18%. This could be a case of taking it too easy and not feeling any real pressure, but this needs to improve if we are going to be competitive!

    The Outlook

    Not to take away from the win, but Chicago isn’t having a great year. Jackson being injured hasn’t helped their chemistry, they look disjointed, and unmotivated. This game still showed us that the Tempo synergy is growing and we can succeed even when the 3’s aren’t dropping.

    Next up the Tempo take on the Connecticut Sun who are on a two game losing streak and are currently 2-10 for the season. Toronto will be aiming for a repeat win and can expect a tough battle in the paint with Brittany Griner and Aaliyah Edwards. It will be nice to see the Izzy – Sabally duo take them on. 

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