The Toronto Tempo made history on Wednesday night, securing the franchise’s first-ever WNBA victory with an impressive 86-73 win over the Seattle Storm in front of an energized home crowd in Toronto.
After suffering a heartbreaking 68-65 loss to the Washington Mystics in their season opener, the Tempo responded with resilience, intensity, and a much stronger defensive performance to earn a memorable breakthrough win for the organization, the city, and Canadian basketball fans.
Led by Marina Mabrey’s game-high 26 points, Toronto came alive in the second half, outscoring Seattle 42-28 after trailing 45-44 at halftime. Mabrey delivered when it mattered most, scoring 16 of her points after the break as the Tempo gradually pulled away from the Storm.
Rookie guard Kiki Rice also continued to impress early in her professional career, bringing energy in transition and helping Toronto establish momentum offensively.
The turning point came during a dominant 18-6 run in the third quarter, where Toronto’s defensive pressure completely shifted the rhythm of the game. The Tempo forced Seattle into 19 turnovers and controlled the pace throughout the final quarter.
Head coach Sandy Brondello praised her team’s defensive response after previously describing the season-opening performance as “clunky.”
“When we need to, it starts with that defensive intensity,” Brondello said after the win. “When we’re moving the ball and playing together, it looks good.”
The emotional victory celebration quickly became one of the night’s most memorable moments, as players drenched Brondello with water in the locker room following the historic win. Guard Brittney Sykes joked afterward that the team had planned the celebration carefully.
“We called our keyword and then we just lit her up with some water,” Sykes said with a smile. For forward Maria Conde, the win carried a deeper meaning beyond the scoreboard
“It was special first win for coach, for the team, for the country,” Conde said. “We just gotta keep building on this.”
The victory marks a major milestone for the WNBA’s newest franchise, which had limited preparation time after the league’s expansion process was finalized only weeks before training camp.
Now, Toronto turns its attention to a challenging four-game road trip with upcoming stops in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Minnesota. Despite the demanding schedule, Brondello believes the time together on the road will help strengthen team chemistry and accelerate the Tempo’s growth during their inaugural season.
For one night, however, the focus remained on history and a packed Toronto crowd witnessed the first chapter of what the Tempo hope will become a successful new era for women’s basketball in Canada.
