PHOENIX — The Toronto Tempo earned their first victory against the Phoenix Mercury in their inaugural WNBA season with a 98-90 win over the Phoenix Mercury.
The matchup featured several connections between the two organizations, including Toronto head coach Sandy Brondello, who previously coached the Mercury from 2014-21 and remains the winningest coach in franchise history. Brondello also led the New York Liberty before taking the helm of the WNBA’s newest expansion franchise.
The game was tightly contested from the opening tip, with both teams exchanging leads throughout the first half. Phoenix received a strong offensive performance from Kahleah Copper, who led the Mercury in scoring, while the Tempo were paced by Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey.
Phoenix appeared poised to protect its home court, with all five Mercury starters finishing in double figures. Natasha Mack continued her strong play in the paint, recording a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
However, the game shifted in the third quarter when Mack exited after appearing to injure her right leg. The Mercury center limped off the floor and did not return, leaving a significant void in Phoenix’s frontcourt rotation.
Toronto capitalized on the opportunity, taking control in the fourth quarter behind timely scoring and defensive stops. The Mercury remained within striking distance and mounted several comeback attempts in the final minutes, but were unable to overcome the deficit.
Following the game, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts acknowledged that Mack’s absence impacted the team’s rotation and defensive effectiveness.
“Put someone else in, affected the rotation,” Tibbetts said. “We played well enough at times, but we have to keep playing to win the game.”
Tibbetts said Mack’s injury appeared to be related to her right leg and could have been a cramp, though he expected to learn more following further evaluation.
The Mercury coach was more direct when discussing his team’s defensive performance.
The head coach stated that, “the attention to detail wasn’t there.”
Tibbetts emphasized that the team must quickly regroup ahead of its upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks.
“We have to move on from this one,” he continued. “Losing Mack hurt us, especially not having her in the fourth quarter.”
He also stressed the importance of unity as the season progresses.
Veteran guard Alyssa Thomas echoed her coach’s concerns about the team’s defense.
“We’re nowhere near where we need to be defensively,” Thomas said. “You have to defend if you want to play on this team.”
Thomas also reminded her teammates to maintain perspective through the ups and downs of a long season.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Thomas said. “It’s a long season.”
She added that losing Mack impacted Phoenix’s rebounding and interior presence but emphasized that others must be ready to step into larger roles when needed.
“When people go down, others have to step up,” said the veteran player. “It’s about who’s going in and willing to do the dirty work.”
Copper reinforced the message of accountability and teamwork following the loss.
“We have to help each other and cover for each other,” Copper said. “If we’re better collectively, it’s going to help our team defense.”
Despite a strong offensive showing and balanced scoring from the starting lineup, defensive breakdowns and Mack’s third-quarter exit proved too much for Phoenix to overcome as Toronto celebrated with a 98-90 road win.
Next game: Thursday, May 21 vs. Los Angeles Sparks at Mortgage Matchup Center at 7pm. ♦︎
Discover more from En Breve News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
