In some way, someway, the Indiana Fever did it.
With Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, Damiris Dantas, and Chloe Bibby all sidelined, the Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream 87-85 to advance to the semi-finals.
It was a team-wide effort, headlined by All-WNBA candidate Kelsey Mitchell, who poured in a game-high 24 factors, as she sometimes does.
Fellow All-Star Aliyah Boston tallied 14 factors, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists — in addition to the game-winning layup with the clock winding down.
Lexie Hull posted 10 factors, 2 assists, and a pair of steals — the second of which got here with slightly below 5 seconds to go and the sport on the road.
And, in some way, collectively, the Fever did the unthinkable, upsetting the Dream on their very own residence court docket.
The credit score should begin with Fever head coach Stephanie White
After the sport, Caitlin Clark instantly turned to social media to Tweet two phrases: “Stephanie White.”
The Fever head coach, a brand new addition to the squad this season, hasn’t been one of many league’s highest-touted coaches this season. Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was named Coach of the Yr earlier this week, and Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, and Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon every acquired votes from the media.
White, a former Coach of the Yr in her personal proper, flew beneath the radar this season. However, not solely did she assist propel Mitchell and Boston to profession seasons, she additionally ensured that Indiana caught collectively no matter who was accessible to lace up.
“I’ve by no means had a coach that poured into me, respectfully like Steph has,” Mitchell mentioned after Thursday’s decisive Sport 3 win. ‘For the primary time in my profession, I really feel like I’ve somebody that actually values what I convey to the desk as a participant and as an individual.”
The outcomes have been simple; Mitchell averaged 20.2 factors and three.4 assists this season, each career-highs. She’s a frontrunner to be named to First Crew All-WNBA, and can seemingly be a finalist for MVP.
Then, there’s Natasha Howard, who added 12 factors, 6 rebounds, and three assists on Wednesday night time. Howard is again in Indiana — the place she began her WNBA profession over a decade in the past — and he or she’s impacting successful.
And after the huge win, the 34-year-old glowingly mirrored on the influence of Stephanie White, too.
“For me, I’m simply grateful to have the ability to get again to Indiana and be capable to be subsequent to the coach that coached me in my second 12 months within the league and simply her believing in me and trusting in me to guide this crew,” Howard mentioned. “There’s a number of weight on my shoulder, however hey, I’ve been via it earlier than, I can do it. She does a tremendous job for each individual, not simply me and Kelsey, however each single individual on the crew that she believes in, and he or she pours into each single individual. It doesn’t matter the way you play, what number of minutes you’re going to get, she’s going to let you know to be prepared always, go on the market and do your half. That’s one factor that I really like about Steph. She believes in each single individual. She trusts us it doesn’t matter what.”
Beneath White’s steering, level guard Odyssey Sims has flourished. Sims, who signed with the Fever simply over a month in the past after accidents ravaged the crew, tallied 16 factors, 8 assists, 3 steals, and, remarkably, 0 turnovers.
Her most vital play? A heads-up move to Boston for the lay-up that in the end received the collection.
Sims, who was waived by the Los Angeles Sparks in July, has discovered her footing in Indiana, similar to each participant has appeared to upon becoming a member of the Fever.
Indiana’s journey isn’t over. As backup middle Brianna Turner wrote after the win, they didn’t come this far, to solely come this far.
Indiana will play the Las Vegas Aces within the subsequent spherical of the playoffs — one more collection by which they’ll be huge underdogs. However, beneath the management of Stephanie White, they’ve proven they will’t be counted out.
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