The Toronto Tempo played their second game at the Bell Centre in Montreal against the New York Liberty on Sunday, winning 93-91 after a tense fourth quarter. Toronto was up by 20 points in the third quarter, but the Liberty were able to come back and make it a close game.
“It was a little scary there in the fourth, wasn’t it?” head coach Sandy Brondello said after the victory. “This team’s resilient, I thought our defence was pretty solid for the most part until we got a little tight.
“We hung in there and found a way to win, so proud of this group. We deserve it, you know. We’ve been in so many games, so it’s nice for us for these ladies to get a win, and hopefully we can build on that moving forward.”
The biggest shift in the game happened near the end, when the Liberty’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected for a rogue shoe throw in the final minutes, giving the Tempo the energy boost needed to hold onto their lead until the end. The shoe hit Tempo guard Marina Mabrey, who led all scorers with 30 points in the game.
“I’m working on not being rage-baited,” Mabrey said after the game. “I don’t think she did it on purpose.”
The first time All-Star has had a career season with the Tempo, something she credits to her teammates and coaches.
“I think Sandy holding me accountable is probably the biggest thing,” Mabrey said after the game. “She’s really challenging me, so I got to go and act right and go out there and play the game.
“When you have teammates that are fully trusting you, giving you the ball, letting you run the team, letting you run the offence, and seeing that they’re also getting confidence from it – it’s the biggest step that we have taken as a team, but really just credit to my teammates. Honestly, they find me for every single shot.”
“I’ve always wanted to coach Marina,” Brondello said. “She’s always been a little underrated, but she’s one of the best shot creators in the league, and I’ve coached many of them.
“She carries a big load, so for her to be now for her to be the first-time All-Star, I’m so proud of her because she deserves it. It’s sometimes the right place, isn’t it? Right place, right time, and we’re happy she’s here with us in Toronto.”
Laura Juskaite was big for the Tempo for the second game in a row, scoring 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field. Maria Conde had 15 points to help the Tempo avoid their fifth straight loss. After missing the game on Friday, centre Nyara Sabally was back in the lineup on Sunday as well, helping the Tempo square up against a tough Liberty frontcourt.
The Liberty did not make it easy for Toronto, with Sabrina Ionescu scoring 28 points and Breanna Stewart scoring 22 of her own points. They shrunk the deficit and made it a clutch game situation in the end. It was the second day of a back-to-back for New York, after they lost in Minnesota on Saturday.
This loss against the Tempo is the third in a row for the 2024 WNBA champions.
With injuries to Brittney Sykes, Kiki Rice and Temi Fagbenle leaving the Tempo shorthanded, a win like Sunday’s is a great boost of energy in the middle of a tough schedule.
After their two-game stint in Montreal, where the Tempo also lost to Dallas on Friday, broke a WNBA attendance record, and then got the win Sunday – they’ll be back in Toronto Tuesday. Their month-long homestand continues this week against the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream.
