SAN FRANCISCO — Alyssa Thomas stood on the free throw line with 1 second remaining in a tie sport between her Phoenix Mercury and the Golden State Valkyries, as boos from the Chase Middle crowd rained down.
She missed the primary free throw however swished the second by way of the ring, securing the 78-77 victory for Phoenix — and drawing the ire of Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, who did not maintain again her disappointment that the sport was determined on the line.
“It is so unlucky that they get a win off of a free throw with no protection,” Nakase stated. “That is powerful.”
She continued: “To sit down there and watch somebody win a sport off of a free throw, that is a disservice. I am simply asking for consistency. I am begging for consistency. Hey, if it is as a result of I am a rookie coach then I will take the loss. So if I’ve to be higher with the refs, if there is a badge of honor that I’ve to earn, then I will do it. I will blame myself.”
Thomas bought to the free throw line off a foul known as on Cecilia Zandalasini. Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani bounce-passed the ball to Thomas simply exterior of the paint with 2 seconds left on the sport clock. As Thomas took a dribble, Zandalasini slid into the restricted space with each fingers up.
As Thomas went up for her shot, the 2 made contact and Zandalasini was instantly whistled for the foul.
“I noticed completely no foul,” Nakase stated. “The physicality of the sport for Phoenix was 10 instances extra versus our physicality. I noticed completely no foul … I imagine you need to win off of nice pictures. That is simply a part of it. So I feel we deserve that.”
The primary half was a sport of runs. The Valkyries bought off to a gradual begin, outscored 12-2 within the opening minutes, however closed the primary quarter on an 18-4 run.
Phoenix then outscored Golden State 11-3 within the closing 4:43 of the primary half to go up by 4.
Within the fourth quarter, the Mercury did not make a free throw till the 5:38 mark, however the Valkyries nonetheless allow them to again in.
The Valkyries made 14 3-pointers however shot simply 33.8% from contained in the arc, persistently lacking layups and different pictures near the rim.
Janelle Salaun hit a troublesome 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds left in regulation to tug Golden State inside one, and after a Thomas free throw Salaun hit one other shot — this time a baseline jumper — to tie the sport with 6.8 seconds to go.
Phoenix’s subsequent possession noticed Thomas get fouled by Zandalasini and seal the win on her second free throw try.
“I used to be so pleased with the execution down the stretch, the combat, how laborious we performed — I could not have requested for a greater sport. I actually do imagine that,” Nakase stated. “I felt like we did the precise issues in a really crunch-time second … it is simply dropping off of a free throw, that to me hurts.”
Nakase joins a protracted listing of WNBA personnel who’ve known as out the league’s officiating.
Most just lately, Chicago Sky ahead Angel Reese stated final week it is an issue that “needs to be mounted.”
“I do not give a rattling if I get fined as a result of that s— is affordable, and I am uninterested in this s—,” Reese stated. “Trigger I have been good, and I have been humble with it, however I’m uninterested in this s—.”
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum additionally voiced her displeasure after a scarcity of calls in an additional time loss to the Valkyries on June 9.
“I bought scratches on my face, I bought scratches on my physique, and these different guards on the opposite workforce get these ticky-tack fouls, and I am sick of it,” Plum stated.
Additionally final month, Indiana coach Stephanie White criticized the referees for not controlling the Fever’s sport towards the Connecticut Solar, which led to 2 scuffles and three ejections.
“When the officers do not get management of the ball sport — once they enable these items to occur, and it has been occurring all season lengthy … that is what occurs,” White stated.