INDIANAPOLIS — Monday’s fourth-quarter dustup between the Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury provided evidence of where both sides stand in terms of team chemistry.
A quick refresher: Caitlin Clark fouled DeWanna Bonner a couple minutes into the fourth quarter. The two began chirping one another and soon thereafter, Myisha Hines-Allen and Alyssa Thomas got into it, standing nose-to-nose in the lane.
Hines-Allen played peacemaker(?) a couple minutes later, standing between Bonner and Sophie Cunningham as the two jawed back-and-forth, before engaging in a very meme-able pointing match.
Five technical fouls on that skirmish, then a sixth on Hines-Allen, a few minutes later (she was ejected, as it was her second of the night).
“I’m gonna stand up for all my teammates,” Hines-Allen said ahead of Wednesday’s rematch. “It doesn’t matter who it is, that’s just who I am.”
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Therein lies the biggest takeaway.
The Fever players spoke throughout camp and the first leg of the regular season about this group’s chemistry, how tightly bonded they are despite the influx of new faces.
Monday tested those bonds.
“An emotional opportunity to connect,” as Fever coach Stephanie White described it.
“Now, channeling it in the right way is also important. We’ve got some vets on our team and we have some young ones on our team. I think those guys (are) helping each other out and understanding how we (can) utilize that energy for the betterment of our team.”
Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts, whose injury-ravaged team limped to Indianapolis with five wins to their name, expressed a similar sentiment.
“Our care factor for each other was good. That’s what you want,” he said. “When you’re a team searching to play better basketball, you lean into all kinds of stuff. … So yeah, you’re always trying to build and get better.”
Clark was quick to shift focus to Wednesday, saying she expected it to be a tightly officiated game, which placed an added importance on defending without fouling. Mercury free throws give them an opportunity to set up their defense and limit the Fever’s transition opportunities, she explained.
Asked what the players’ response in the moment Monday night says about this team — their “care factor,” if you will — Clark offered a more thoughtful response.
“It shows the love we have for one another,” she said. “It isn’t very fun if you aren’t gonna go to war with people beside you. … The season’s long and it’s not going to be very enjoyable if you don’t like the people you’re surrounded with.”
“That’s something special about this group. We make it fun for one another,” she continued. “We really rely on each other to bring joy every single day. Not every person on the roster is going to have it every single day, and that’s why you have to have great teammates. You pick each other up, you have their back, you try to put a smile on their face.. … You try to bring joy to one another and enjoy the moments you get together.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How skirmishes with opponents galvanize Indiana Fever: ‘Gonna stand up for all my teammates’
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
