Quick Reaction: Tempo 80, Mercury 89

TORONTO — While the Toronto Tempo were still buzzing after Marina Mabrey’s record-tying performance a couple of days earlier, they knew it needed to be left in the past as they prepared for a new challenge on Saturday.

“Last game is last game. We have to turn the page,” head coach Sandy Brondello said pre-game. “That’s what I said to (the players) yesterday. It was amazing. We were so happy for Marina, but (also) so happy for how we played … (But) every game is different, isn’t it? Some games are really hard, and they’re a struggle, but what can you control?”

And while the Tempo had the opportunity to control how much momentum they’d be going into their extended break with, backed by the 15,687 in attendance at the Scotiabank Arena, the Phoenix Mercury had other plans.

The Mercury walked away with an 89-80 win, dropping the Tempo back below .500 in the process.

The task at hand for the Tempo was immediately made much more difficult when Mabrey was scratched from action mere moments before tip-off due to a neck injury.

Luckily for Tempo fans, the sharpshooter’s production appeared to be contagious as the rest of the team shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc in the opening frame as they held onto a 22-20 lead.

It felt fitting that it was Kia Nurse who began that barrage of makes from distance, as the Hamilton, Ont. native was inserted among the starters in place of Mabrey. First, she began the festivities by knocking down a 25-footer from the left wing, and later settled into a pull-up triple off an Izzy Harrison screen.

“I think (Kia has) done well for us these last few games and, you know, she made the opening basket as well. So I think it was a logical decision,” Brondello said post-game of starting Nurse.

And although the outside production tailed off in the second, as the Tempo shot just 1-of-5 from deep, they managed to hold on to a 44-42 lead at halftime.

Doing so thanks to a breakneck pace of play, intentionally pushing off makes and misses alike to find openings up close. Made even more possible as the Mercury were without the leadership and interior presence of Alyssa Thomas, who was serving a suspension levied following Phoenix’s game against the Indiana Fever.

As a result, the Tempo marched to the rim for 16 paint points in just the second quarter.

That effort was supercharged by an 8-2 run towards the end of the first half, led primarily by import guard Tima Pouye. The French rookie orchestrated six of those points, two by way of breakaway scores, and a drive-by dump-off pass to a cutting Maria Conde for a layup sandwiched in between.

Toronto kept the inside pressure going once action resumed, with Julie Allemand leading the way this time. The floor general dished five of her 10 assists on the night in the third quarter, including a pair to Conde, for a three and then a banked-in turnaround jumper as the Tempo held on to a 66-65 lead after 30 minutes of action.

“We wanted to win that game. It was a big moment for us, for everybody here, for Canada,” Allemand explained post-game. “So, yeah, we wanted to win, but we couldn’t. But the atmosphere was nice. It was really great to play out there. It was just different.”

But then the fourth quarter happened. The Mercury found that next gear, while the Tempo took their foot off the gas. Phoenix won the final frame 24-14 (the Tempo went without a made field goal for the final two minutes), led by Kahleah Copper, who scored eight of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter.

Underscoring the Mercury’s success was their ability to get to the line ad nauseam, generating 29 free throws (plus 17) than the Tempo and making 21 of them (plus-15).

“They made shots and we didn’t, sometimes that’s just how it is. Some offensive boards went against us,” Brondello said. ” … But a little fatigue setting in too. We had to play Julie quite a lot of minutes here. They have a lot of weapons with their scoring and their ability to get downhill with certain players … and that kind of hurt us.”

Up next

The Tempo now get an extended break, as they won’t return to action until July 5, when they host Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.

Phoenix Mercury

89 – 80

Toronto Tempo

B+	Isabelle Harrison 27 MIN, 12 PTS, 7 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 5-11 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 3 TO, -6 +/- A grind-it-out type of performance for the vet forward. While Nyara Sabally battled foul trouble, Izzy Harrison was battling the likes of DeWanna Bonner anf Valeriane Ayayi for much of the night. She continues to provide quality post-scoring in bunches while making a difference on the glass.
B+	Maria Conde 37 MIN, 10 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 4-14 FG, 1-8 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -6 +/- The Spaniard had the tough task of guarding Kahleah Copper but had her moments … her first basket came on a fading elbow jumper, and then she followed it up by chasing Copper through the lane the other way before forcing a turnover that wound up leading to an Izzy Harrison basket.

B-	Nyara Sabally 26 MIN, 14 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 5-10 FG, 2-3 3FG, 2-5 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -18 +/- It was a strong start for Nyara Sabally, especially on the glass but foul trouble really stymied her impact as the game progressed. She couldn’t be nearly as aggressive protecting the rim and the Tempo were burned by that on more than one occasion. She played the entire fourth quarter on five fouls and was still able to do some damage late.
B	Kia Nurse 22 MIN, 12 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 4-9 FG, 3-5 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -18 +/- It would’ve been asking a lot of the vet to start under normal circumstances, but to do so at the very last minute, and under the brightest lights, made the ask that much greater. And Kia Nurse certainly met the moment. She was comfortable chipping in from beyond the arc, but also handling the ball and making reads from the middle of the floor, something unseen from her throughout much of the season. A snake-dribble through the lane and than a dump-off pass to Izzy Harrison for the finish was just one example of how Nurse levelled up when the team needed it. And while she was no shutdown defender, she also wasn’t a glaring mismatch either.
A	Julie Allemand 39 MIN, 11 PTS, 7 REB, 10 AST, 0 STL, 4-6 FG, 3-5 3FG, 0-0 FT, 1 BLK, 2 TO, -8 +/- Another great do-it-all game for Julie Allemand. The Tempo’s floor general has really hit her stride lately, toggling between her own offence and orchestrating for others. All while hounding opposing players the other way. Her production on the glass was the cherry on top, but the Tempo's first-ever triple-double will sadly have to wait for another day.
C-	Laura Juskaite 11 MIN, 0 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 6 +/- A weird night for the rookie who was limited to just 11 minutes of action. Not for foul trouble, so my only assumption is that it was matchup-related. Still, outside of one deep drive that spilled out into a Tima Pouye three, she was not

C+	Temi Fagbenle 19 MIN, 8 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 4-6 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -1 +/- One of Temi Fagbenle's most active games from a movement standpoint. She was covering space with more gusto but was also struggling to do much damage outside of her offensive output. On defence it was a lot of trying to be in the way rather than try and get stops.
B	Tima Pouye 20 MIN, 13 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 5-10 FG, 3-7 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 6 +/- With yet another injury to the backcourt, the French guard’s opportunity only continues to grow. It was arguably the most comfortable she’s looked in the WNBA, dealing with the physicality on both ends much better. Fighting through screens much more emphatically on defence, and initiating more and more offence the other way. A career-high night production-wise for her troubles was a nice consolation prize despite the loss.
B-	Sandy Brondello Hard to ask for much more from the bench boss when yet another injury hits her lineup, especially so last-minute. The decision to limit Laura's time is the main standout but she toggled Kia's minutes well and pulled about as many levels as she could with the limited personell she had available.