The Toronto Tempo have been blown out in back-to-back games, and the WNBA expansion franchise will look to right the ship on the road against the Chicago Sky on TSN tonight.
The Tempo (3-4) were throttled 100-72 by the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, and followed that effort up with a poor showing against the fellow-expansion Portland Fire on home court on Saturday, losing 99-80.
Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello didn’t hold back when addressing her team’s performance when speaking to the media after the game.
“I think we just got away from our identity,” Brondello said on Saturday. “Our defence is very average at the moment, we’ve got to find solutions for that.
“Portland exploited us all over the floor. Our pick-and-roll defence wasn’t very good, our one-on-one defence, our rotations. We just need to get back to being a little more tougher on both ends of the floor.”
The Tempo have been dealing with injuries up and down the lineup in the early portion of the season, and are expected to be without front court members Temi Fagbenle and Isabelle Harrison, as well as starting point guard Julie Allemand, who is dealing with a groin strain.
Brondello refused to let the busy schedule (Toronto has played seven games, more than half the teams in the league) or the injuries take the blame for the team’s poor play on Saturday, stating that she “was not going to use that as an excuse.”
The Sky (3-3) enter this game as one of three teams in the Eastern Conference sitting at .500 or better. Chicago has lost two straight since announcing forward Rickea Jackson, the team’s leading scorer through the first four games, will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL against the Lynx on May 17.
Brondello told reporters on Saturday that “We’re facing some adversity, and sometimes you need to get slapped in the face to make some change and be better.” Wednesday’s game against the Sky will provide their first chance to do that.
