By Dagim Zinabu Tekle
The Voice of Women Sport
TORONTO, Canada — Toronto Tempo’s recent winning momentum came to a halt on Sunday afternoon as the club suffered a 102-77 defeat to the Atlanta Dream at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
The Tempo entered the contest looking to rebound from a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Washington Mystics earlier in the week, but Atlanta’s experience and offensive firepower proved too much to overcome.
Toronto started brightly and competed well in the opening quarter, showing the energy and determination that have characterized much of the club’s inaugural WNBA season. However, the game turned decisively in the second quarter when Atlanta produced a dominant stretch on both ends of the floor, creating a lead that Toronto was unable to erase.
Allisha Gray led the Dream with 26 points, while Angel Reese delivered another impressive double-double performance with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Rhyne Howard added 24 points as Atlanta strengthened its position among the WNBA’s top teams.
For Toronto, the afternoon was made even more challenging when Isabelle Harrison was ejected early in the third quarter following a Flagrant 2 foul. Despite the setback, the Tempo continued to compete and showed resilience against one of the league’s strongest squads.
The defeat drops Toronto to 7-6 on the season, but the result does little to diminish the encouraging progress the franchise has made during its historic inaugural campaign. The Tempo have already demonstrated their ability to compete with established WNBA organizations and remain firmly in the playoff conversation.
Head coach Sandy Brondello and her players will now focus on regrouping ahead of their next assignment, knowing that consistency and continued development will be key as the season enters a crucial stage.
While Sunday’s result was disappointing, the atmosphere inside Coca-Cola Coliseum once again highlighted the growing support for women’s basketball in Canada, with fans continuing to rally behind the country’s first WNBA franchise.
Toronto will look to respond quickly and return to winning ways as the season continues.
