San Francisco – Alyssa Thomas was standing at the Frank of Launchers with a remaining second and the score bound between his Phoenix Mercury and the Golden State Valkyries, while the huts of the crowd of the Chase Center rained.
She missed the first franc launch but played the second, guaranteeing a 78-77 victory for Phoenix on Monday evening – and by pulling the anger of the Valkyries coach, Natalie Nakase, who did not hold her disappointment that the game was decided on the line.
“It is so regrettable that they get a victory over a defenseless launch,” said Nakase. “It’s difficult.”
She continued: “To stay there and watch someone win a match from a frank throw is a bad service. I just ask for consistency. I beg the coherence. Hey, if it is because I am a recruit coach, I will take the loss. So, if I have to be better with the referees, if there is a badge of honor that I must win, so I will blame myself.”
Thomas arrived at the free throw line after a fault was called Cecilia Zandalasini. The guard of Mercury Monique Akoa Makani passed the ball to Thomas just outside the painting with two seconds to play. While Thomas took a dribble, Zandalasini slipped into the restricted area with both arms.
While Thomas went up for his shot, the two contacted and Zandalasini was immediately whistled for a fault.
“I saw absolutely no fault,” said Nakase. “The physicity of the game for Phoenix was 10 times more compared to our physique. I saw absolutely no fault … I think you have to win big shots. That’s just one. So I think we deserve this.”
The first half was a racing game. The Valkyries took a slow start, ahead of 12-2 in the first minutes, but closed the first quarter on a sequence of 18-4 to lead 20-16.
Phoenix then preceded Golden State 11-3 in the 4:43 finals of the first half to increase by four.
In the fourth quarter, the Mercury made no basket before the brand at 5:38, but the Valkyries could not withdraw.
For the match, Golden State made 14 3 points but pulled only 33.8% of the interior of the arc, missing many layups and other shots near the rim.
Janelle Salaun struck a 3 -point hard point with 10.3 seconds playing in payment to pull Golden State in one. After a frank lance from Thomas, Salaun struck a basic rider to equalize the score with 6.8 seconds.
On the following possession, Thomas was the victim of a fault by Zandalasini and sealed the victory during his second attempt to launch franc.
“I was so proud of the execution in the section, the fight, how much we played – I could not have asked for a better match. I really believe it,” said Nakase. “I had the impression that we were doing the right things in a very crimoral moment … He only loses a frank throw, it hurts.”
Nakase has joined an increasing list of WNBA staff who called the league officer this season.
More recently, Chicago Sky striker Angel Reese said last week that it was a problem that “must be corrected”.
“I don’t care if I am condemned to a fine because this s — is cheap, and I am tired of this s —“, said Reese. “Because I was nice, and I was humble with that, but I am tired of this s —.”
Los Angeles Sparks goalkeeper Kelsey Plum also expressed his dissatisfaction after a lack of calls in a defeat in overtime against the Valkyries on June 9.
“I have scratches on my face, I have stripes on my body, and these other guards from the other team have these backy faults, and I’m fed up,” said Plum.
Last month, Indiana coach Stephanie White criticized the referees so as not to control the fever game against Connecticut Sun, which led to two scuffles and three ejections.
“When the officials do not take control of the ball game – when they allow this kind to happen, and that happened all the season … This is what is happening,” said White.
