Clark shines in Fever’s win over Tempo at Scotiabank Arena

As the Indiana Fever’s team bus drove to Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday to play in Toronto against the Tempo for the first time, the visiting team’s superstar Caitlin Clark saw fans on the streets of Canada’s biggest city wearing her jersey hours before tipoff.

Since the Fever drafted Iowa’s Clark first overall in 2024, the WNBA’s popularity has erupted, largely thanks to the once-in-a-lifetime talent. The league’s most famous player would see more evidence of the Caitlin Clark effect inside Toronto’s jam-packed 19,800-seat arena, as her team upstaged the hometown Tempo 101-95 on their highest profile night of an underwhelming debut season.

Kelsey Mitchell, who Clark before the game called the best backcourt teammate she’s ever had, dazzled for 29 points in Indy’s tight victory, slapping the Tempo with an 11th straight loss. Fans – even those in burgundy Tempo wear – cheered for Clark’s deep threes and flashy passes as she scored 24 points in her team’s win.

It was a regular season game but felt like a major event. When the city was awarded a WNBA expansion team, many thought ahead to when Clark would visit here. In a pre-game press conference, she talked about the snacks she’s tried on her first visit to Toronto and told one reporter “I love your Canadian accent”.

She had high praise for Toronto’s support of the Tempo, for its all-star Marina Mabrey and coach Sandy Brondello.

Asked about the legacy she wants to leave, Clark said it will be compelling people who never watched women’s basketball to tune in.

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“I think that’s a really cool thing to bring people in that maybe never experienced something that I’ve loved all my life,” said Clark. “So I hope when I’m done, that’s probably the biggest thing that I’ll probably look back on my career and be proud of, is just the amount of people that I’ve been able to bring in and enjoy the game that I’ve always loved, since I was a young kid.”

Winners in nine of their latest 11 games, the playoff-driving Fever are on an historic heater. They made history by scoring 100-plus points in six consecutive games. Clark just nabbed her fourth Eastern Conference player of the week honour, the seventh of her career.

Tuesday’s game had many of the things one frequently sees during a visit from the Fever: The largest media contingent of the season, some tough fouls on Clark, and the crowd erupting in a mix of cheers and boos every time the polarizing Fever guard Sophie Cunningham checked in or touched the ball. One fan held up a sign supporting the trans rights, and there was an enormous cheer.

There was some good for Toronto but not enough for a win. Mabrey led the way for Toronto with 22 points. Star Tempo guard Brittney Sykes had 15 points in her return to the Tempo lineup on Tuesday, following a two-month absence. The 32-year-old guard was making her case for all-star consideration before she suffered a plantar fascia injury in her left foot against the Fever in Indy on June 16.

Newly acquired Aneesah Morrow had 14 points in her debut with the team. Kiki Rice, who recently returned from injury, had 10.

The Tempo, now dwelling near the bottom of the league standings, can never get the whole team on the court at once. Starting guard Julie Allemand is out again, as is starting centre Nyara Sabally. The injury situation has been the most challenging of coach Sandy Brondello’s career.

“It’s hard when you’re losing. I haven’t lost this much my whole career,” said Brondello. “But you have to think of big picture. We knew this was going to be a challenge – not quite the challenge I anticipated coming here – I didn’t anticipate the injuries, but that’s sport. What are you going to do? So just keep working.”