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  • Tempo vs Mercury Game Report – May 19, 2026

    Tempo vs Mercury Game Report – May 19, 2026

    No bigs? No problem for the Toronto Tempo! On Tuesday night, the Toronto Tempo won their second game in a row on their west coast roadtrip against the Phoenix Mercury. Admittedly, we were nervous about the Tempo’s chances against the size and ferocity of Phoenix’s frontcourt, but the Tempo once again proved that they play with heart, fight, and absolutely no fear. 

    Here are the the good, bad, and outlook from the game. 

    The Good

    The stars for the Tempo shone brightly. As Chelsea Leite reported, “Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes become the first WNBA duo this season to each score 30+ points in a game.”

    Both Slim and Mabrey were simply unstoppable. 

    Mabrey’s patented stepback 3’s were on full display this game. 

    She further thrilled with turnaround jumpers, drives to the basket, and some spiciness that led to her first tech. In classic Mabrey fashion, after the tech, she made a deliberate effort to go at Jovana Nogic which was very entertaining to watch.  

    Meanwhile, Slim continues to have the eye of the tiger and showing why she was worth the $1 million investment by the Tempo. Tonight, Slim scored at all three levels, hitting midrange jumpers, attacking the paint, and getting to the line. Furthermore, even though Slim has, on average, shot 30% from 3 over her career, she hit 50% of her 3’s in this game. 

    Combined, Mabrey and Slim scored 61 of the 98 points. Phenomenal stuff. 

    Not far behind the two stars was the impact made by the play from Kiki Rice. Rice contributed 15 points on an efficient 5 of 7 shooting. With only five games in, Rice has shown that she can be trusted to hit a corner 3 and operate beautifully in the transition game by causing turnovers and getting transition buckets. At this rate, Rice could soon make a case for staying in the starting lineup for good. 

    The Bad

    On a night where the Tempo – down four key contributors – defeated a team that went to the WNBA championship last season, it is hard for us to find too many negatives about this game. 

    We’ll just point out two areas. 

    1. To be fair to Phoenix, the Mercury came into this game as a top team in 3-point percentage, but they only shot 18% from 3 in this game. Meanwhile, Toronto shot 42% from 3, which is well above what they had been averaging in their first four games. We acknowledge that we did catch the Mercury on a poor 3 point shooting night, but we will take it! 
    1. In the 4th Quarter, Alyssa Thomas proceeded to literally flex her muscles to take over by barreling her way into the paint to score at will or find a cutter to pass to for an easy layup. To be honest, we wondered why she didn’t do that all game long. However, the Tempo responded with more amazing 3-point shooting, proving again that 3’s are worth more than 2’s, and the Mercury did not come close to making up the score. 

    The Outlook

    The Tempo close out their road trip against the Minnesota Lynx. Like the Tempo, the Lynx have started the season with an injury-riddled front court that includes injuries to Napheesa Collier, Dorka Juhasz, and Emma Chechova (if this name sounds familiar, it’s because she torched us during our pre-season game against the Lynx). On the Tempo side, Isabelle Harrison, Temi Fagbenle, Nyara Sabally, and Julie Allemand remain out with injuries.

    While the Lynx have one of the best shooters in the game in Kayla McBride and the midrange assassin, Courtney Williams,  defending guards has been a consistent strength of the Tempo. This game will also feature rookie sensations, Olivia Miles, and the Tempo’s own Kiki Rice going head-to-head for the first time this season. 

    If our star duo of Mabrey and Sykes (thoughts on Fast & Furious as a nickname?) continue their stellar play, this is absolutely a getable game for the Tempo. 

  • Tempo vs Sparks Game Report – May 17, 2026

    Tempo vs Sparks Game Report – May 17, 2026

    Thanks to a career night from Brittney Sykes, the Toronto Tempo got their first franchise road win against the LA Sparks. This was a definitive win where the Tempo controlled most of the game. The fact that they avenged their loss on the first of this back-to-back matchup with the Sparks made the win even sweeter.

    We delve into the good, the bad, and the outlook from the game!

    The Good

    Any talk about the positives from this game begins and ends with Brittney Sykes (also known as Slim). Throughout the game, Slim controlled the Tempo’s halfcourt offense with her drives past the first line of defense then probing and prodding to find advantages using an array of differing speeds, mid-range shots, and, of course, her patented drives. 

    Slim was the clear star of the game and reached a new career high of 38 points. Congratulations to Slim!

    The second standout player from the game was rookie Kiki Rice. Rice got her first WNBA start replacing the injured Julie Allemand and proceeded to play the entire game with intention and physicality. Her drives to the basket were beautiful to watch as she found the right speed and angle for her layups. In less than a handful of games, Rice has gone from looking like a rookie to a contributor on this team. We couldn’t be more excited for her future. 

    We also have to give a shout out to the Tempo’s depth. In spite of injuries to key players, we continue to see the bench step up. Building off of her showing in the last game against the Sparks, Kia Nurse once again demonstrated that she can help to stabilize the team and make key contributions in limited minutes, including hitting two 3’s and guarding Cam Brink with strength and gusto. 

    In the second half, Teonni Key showed out with her smart and energetic defense and rebounding.

    Unlike the first game against the Sparks, the entire Tempo team played with far more poise. This was instantly noticeable with their vastly improved start to the game. In the 3rd quarter, the Sparks made a run to close the gap on the score and the flow of the game started to get more nerve wracking for the Tempo. They weathered the storm, then closed it out in the 4th quarter by taking the wind out of LA’s sails by going bucket-for-bucket with the Sparks until Sykes ultimately took over. 

    The Bad

    Yes, we admit it. There were a LOT of fouls and a lot of free throws in the game.This early trend of tight WNBA officiating has been worrisome. 

    There was also a noticeable disparity in free throws (42 for Toronto, 30 for LA) between the two teams. That said, the Sparks were caught playing lazy defense on multiple occasions which led to them fouling the Tempo. So, we’ll take it!

    This was also the second game where Marina Mabrey was pretty quiet offensively (by her standards), going 2 for 7 shooting and barely played in the 4th quarter. We’re not worried. We’re just monitoring this. 

    Another early trend we have noticed is that Slim is averaging 3 turnovers per game this season. Last season, she ranked seventh in average turnovers. With a team that has a few ball handlers, we do wonder if adjustments can be made to curb this trend. 

    The Outlook

    Tonight, the Tempo continue their road trip and play the Phoenix Mercury. While the Mercury exceeded all expectations last season and reached the WNBA championship, the team has also been through a significant change in the roster, losing Satou Sabally (their 2nd leading scorer from last season) to free agency and some of their depth pieces, including Lexi Held, Kat Laksa, Haley Jones. They also lost Kathryn Westbeld this season due to being out with a torn ACL and last year’s breakout rookie, Monique Akoa Makani, is currently out due to an overseas commitment. 

    However, the Mercury have a knack for finding diamonds overseas. Already, newcomer Jovana Nogic – an undrafted guard from Serbia – has been absolutely lighting it up, averaging 16 points a game and shooting 65% from 3.

    Meanwhile, Alyssa Thomas continues to show that she is thriving as Phoenix’s hub for the offense with her exceptional ability to pass and score in the post.

    The Tempo continue to wrestle with frontcourt injuries. Isabelle Harrison, Temi Fagbenle, and Nyara Sabally will not be playing this game. On the backcourt, Julie Allemand continues to be out.  

    We are already sounding like a broken record, but containing damage by Phoenix’s bigs, especially Alyssa Thomas, will make or break this game. Without three of our bigs, Tempo fans that got frustrated with LA’s ‘deep seals’ leading to easy buckets may see even more of that tonight by Alyssa Thomas. The Tempo will have to dig deep and hustle even harder for rebounds or else it might be a long night. 

  • Tempo vs Sparks Game Report – May 15, 2026

    Tempo vs Sparks Game Report – May 15, 2026

    Fresh off their historic first franchise win, the Toronto Tempo hit the road for another milestone moment with their first regular season away game. Travelling coast to coast, their first stop of this 4-game road trip started in sunny Los Angeles matched up against a Sparks team looking for their first regular season win in 2026. 

    This game felt like hitting the next level of your favourite video game for the Tempo, matching up against a Sparks team led by 4-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum. Despite a disastrous start and multiple double digit deficits throughout the game, the Tempo showed once again that they’ve got that fight mentality to give themselves a chance down to the wire. The Tempo fought tooth and nail to the bitter end, but LA managed to hold off the furious comeback, scraping away with a 99-95 victory.

    Let’s dive into the breakdown!

    The Good

    With each game, we’re learning more and more about the depth of this team. 

    While last week’s win showed us that Marina Mabrey can be that million dollar franchise player we know and love, this game showed us the play making ability and leadership that Brittney Sykes can bring. Sykes led all scorers with 27 points in 35 minutes of play with her full grit on display going 11-for-11 from the free throw line. It was a well-rounded performance for ‘Slim’ who had 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals, causing havoc for the Sparks on both ends of the floor. 

    Sykes wasn’t the only bright spot in the evening. Nyara Sabally continued to be a steady force on both ends with 14 points and 9 boards, quickly establishing herself as a reliable physical anchor for this starting lineup.

    UCLA standout Kiki Rice has captured our hearts and our attention. She’s gaining confidence with each game and tonight was another glimpse into the player she can be for this team. Shooting 3 for 4 from beyond the arc, Kiki stepped into the point guard position in the second half and took on the tall task of trying to contain Kelsey Plum after Allemand went down with an injury at halftime. 

    While Plum gave the rookie a true WNBA welcome, the assignment was a massive vote of confidence from Head Coach Sandy Brondello in her No. 6 draft pick.

    The absolute wildcard of the evening? Lithuanian forward Laura “Juice” Juškaitė. She erupted for a breakout 16 points in 25 minutes, showcasing a versatile, all-levels scoring package that gives the Tempo another lethal weapon from deep.

    A quick shoutout to our hometown veteran Kia Nurse. Her minutes have been limited, but her influence is notable anytime she touches the court. Tonight was no different, with Nurse providing a stabilizing veteran presence and chipping in across the stat sheet in just nine minutes of floor time.

    The Bad

    Tough start would be an understatement for the Tempo. 

    I don’t know if it was the travel legs or the Sparks hunger to get their first win that resulted in a 10-0 run to start the game for LA. The Tempo struggled early to manage the variety of threats that the Sparks lineup presented with Ogwumike and Burrell hitting back-to-back 3s to start the game and defensive rotations proving difficult with Plum’s ability to attack the rim and find the open players. 

    An early timeout did little to stop the bleeding as LA coasted to a staggering 21-2 lead. Yet, despite the massive first-quarter hole, we saw the collective fight of this team once again as they turned up the defensive pressure to spark the transition game.

    With Fagbenle and Harrison both sidelined with injuries, the Tempo’s glaring gap at center forced Coach Brondello to pivot. Starter Nikolina Milić played just five minutes as Sandy opted for a small-ball lineup, relying on the length and athleticism of Sabally and Juškaitė to fuel the high-tempo offense.

    For Money Mabrey fans, it was a frustrating and quiet night. Mabrey spent half the night cheering from the bench, holding her to just 7 points on the evening. Yet, even on an off-night, Brondello trusted her top sniper when it mattered most, drawing up the final play for Mabrey. Sadly, her baseline three rimmed out at the buzzer, sealing a heartbreaking loss for the Tempo.

    The Outlook

    With a rematch set for tonight, the Tempo have an opportunity to embrace the process and show their ability to grow through adversity. 

    Managing the runs will be key. The Tempo gave up double-digit runs to start the game and the second half on Friday night putting them in a game of chase. If they can get out to a hot start and set the pace of the game early they should set themselves up for success.

    Will tonight be the night that Mabrey and Sykes learn to lead together? Each star has shown individually what they can bring. Now, if they can put that star power together, they’ll be a difficult duo to stop!

    Coach Brondello played all 11 active players Friday, with nine scoring. While the team is still gelling, leaning into a tighter 7-to-8 player rotation would help build the consistency and synergy this group needs.

    The second game of this mini away series with the Sparks tips off tonight and we know Tempo fans across the nation will be eager to see this team capture their first away win of the season.

  • Tempo vs Storm Game Report – May 13, 2026

    Tempo vs Storm Game Report – May 13, 2026

    Emotions ran high as the Toronto Tempo got their first ever franchise win, beating the Seattle Storm 86-73. 

    In this piece, we break down the good and the bad from this game, and what to expect in their next game against the Los Angeles Sparks. 

    The Good

    After what Coach Sandy Brondello called was an ‘ugly’ offensive game for the Tempo after their first game against the Washington Mystics, there was a lot more to like about the Tempo’s offense in game 2. We saw much calmer, fluid, and improved ball movement and a more connected team. This resulted in a jump from a brutal 10 team assists in game 1 to 21 assists in game 2. 

    On defense, the Tempo also did an excellent job of disrupting the passing lanes, getting steals, and breaking out in transition. Believe it or not, this Toronto Tempo team is currently your league leader in steals!

    While we saw a taste of their transition game in game 1, the difference in this game was the execution. The Tempo scored 26 points off turnovers while the Storm only scored 14. 

    We have to give a shout out to Maria Conde who contributed with four 3-pointers. Her ability to shoot the 3 can end up being huge for this team.

    This site is also quickly becoming a Nyara Sabally fan site but we are loving the way she is playing on both sides of the floor. While containing Seattle’s bigs was a tall order, Sabally’s effort was admirable and she contributed 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. 

    In our last piece, we saw lots of potential from the Allemand and Sabally connection. This game saw another one of their highlights. We will continue to clamour for more of these plays throughout the season.

    Finally, we give the biggest shout out to Marina Mabrey’s shotmaking. 6 for 11 from the 3 point line with some incredible shots made in the second half including the highlight of the game. 

    The Bad

    As many feared and predicted, Seattle’s front court cooked us all night. Dominique Malonga and Stephanie Dolson got all the looks they wanted, whether it was a pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop. However, the Tempo managed to keep Seattle’s offensively talented guards in check. 

    The Tempo’s turnovers, especially between Slim and Mabrey, were also noticeable. As tempo.basketball creator, Arlin, said “if your two million dollar players are turning the ball over when passing to one another, that is not good”. 

    Sykes also didn’t have a good game on offense. And that can be summed up in one line: Driving Slim is good; shooting Slim is bad. In the long run, if this becomes a trend, other teams will expose this issue.

    The Future

    All in all, the vibes were impeccable and the Tempo should be really proud of this win.

    Next up, the Tempo play the Los Angeles Sparks. While the Sparks have started the season 0 – 2, they have built a team to compete now and they will be eager to right the ship.

    Containing Kelsey Plum will not be easy. She is a one-player highlight reel with her offensive array of step backs, speedy drives, hesitation moves, and sharp shooting. Slim’s defense will be put to the test. 

    Toronto’s clear weakness in the front court will be put to the test with the Sparks’ potent lineup of Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike. Also, don’t sleep on Rae Burrell. While she has been known to be an inconsistent player, when she is at her best, she can drive to the basket and finish like a taller Brittney Sykes. 

    This will also be Tempo’s first road trip. Our role players will also be put to the test with the need to produce in front of thousands of booing fans not screaming fans.

  • Tempo vs Mystics Game Report – May 8, 2026

    Tempo vs Mystics Game Report – May 8, 2026

    The inaugural game for the Toronto Tempo is now in the books. The excitement and energy inside the Coca Cola Coliseum was electric. The arena was sold out. The fans, Toronto, and Canada at large showed out. 

    The Tempo themselves? That was more of a mixed bag. 

    Unfortunately, the Tempo dropped their inaugural game in entertaining and close fashion to the Washington Mystics, 68-65. 

    Here is the Good, the Bad, and the Future outlook following the game.

    The Good

    In the 3rd quarter, Marina Mabrey was tantalizing and momentum-swinging, but the unsung hero of the game might be Nyara Sabally. 

    Sabally had three steals but appeared to actually have had 4 or 5 plays where she picked the pocket at the point of attack for fast break layups. Fans of the New York Liberty may have gotten flashbacks to Nyara’s championship game OT steal against the Lynx. 

    The Julie Allemand to Sabally pick and roll in the first quarter was also a thing of beauty!

    The Tempo’s defensive energy was admirable across the team. We saw deflections; we saw steals; we saw them force 18 Mystics turnovers, leading to 18 points for the Tempo. We want to see more of that energy throughout the season. 

    The Bad

    As one might have expected, the offensive connectivity simply was not there. The Tempo forced shots instead of making the extra pass. Where the extra pass was made, we caught glimpses of how effective and pretty basketball can be.

    In the 4th quarter, the team curiously went away from having Allemand run the offense even though she had proven to be successful in that role during the other quarters.

    As a result, the team shot a poor 27% from the field. 

    The nerves of game 1 and a short training camp for a completely brand new team might also explain this poor shooting, so we’ll give them a pass on that for now.

    Finally, this game also saw Shakira Austin who has clearly improved her game since last season playing for the opposing team. She drove to the paint with speed, force, and control. Austin showed her improved footwork and patience in a variety of spins and layups. While it was out of Toronto’s control, not being able to get Austin in the offseason hurt us in game 1 and might hurt us even more in the future. 

    The Future

    The Mystics didn’t play particularly well. They could have exposed Toronto’s lack of size in the frontcourt by dumping the ball into the paint even more often and/or playing more inside-out game, dumping the ball into Austin or Iriafen to collapse the defense then kick it out to open shooters for clean shots. The Tempo will have to expect the Mystics to play better the next time they meet. 

    The lack of depth amongst our bigs could turn out to be a season-long issue. 

    In game 1, Nyara went out for a chunk of time and Temi didn’t play at all in the 4th because of a shoulder issue. Juskaite tried admirably to fill in but the competition is going to get tougher. 

    On Wednesday, the Tempo will take on the Seattle Storm. Luckily, for Toronto, Awa Fam (overseas commitment) and Ezi MagBegor (injury) are slated to still be out of the lineup, so Seattle’s size advantage will be reduced. However, the Tempo will need to try and limit Dominique Malonga from singlehandedly dominating the game. On the perimeter, look for Brittney Sykes and Kiki Rice to contain the strong scoring production the Storm have seen from all their guards, including Zia Cooke, Lexie Brown, Jade Melbourne, Natisha Hiedeman, and Flau’Jae Johnson. If they do, we might have a chance to see the Tempo get their first win of the season.