Washington Mystics Beat Toronto Tempo in a Big Second-Half Comeback

What Happened in the Game

On Tuesday night in Toronto, the Washington Mystics played a basketball game against the Toronto Tempo and won with a score of 79-62.

Think of it like this: two teams tried to score the most points by throwing a ball into a hoop, and Washington won by 17 points.

The Star Players

Some players did really well for Washington:

• Kiki Iriafen: scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds (a rebound is when you catch the ball after someone misses a shot)
• Shakira Austin: scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds
• Michaela Onyenwere: scored 15 points

For Toronto:

• Julie Allemand: led her team with 15 points
• Nyara Sabally: added 13 points

Important Point: Even though Washington’s All-Star Sonia Citron played 31 minutes, she only scored 2 points — that’s the lowest she has ever scored in her two-year career!

How the Game Unfolded

Here is how the game went step by step:

1. Early in the game, Toronto was ahead. Washington last led 37-35 after a Kiki Iriafen basket near the middle of the first quarter.
2. At the start of the second half (the part after halftime), Washington went on an 11-3 run — that means they scored 11 points while Toronto only scored 3.
3. That run ended with an Iriafen layup (a close shot) and gave Washington their first lead since early in the game: 37-35.
4. Washington kept dominating and outscored Toronto 53-30 in the entire second half.

Other Key Facts

• Washington grabbed 46 rebounds compared to Toronto’s 26 — they caught way more missed shots.
• Washington got 20 second-chance points (points scored after getting a rebound), while Toronto only got 3.
• Toronto was short-handed, meaning some players were hurt and could not play:
  • Brittney Sykes (left foot injury)
  • Kiki Rice (left ankle sprain)
  • Temi Fagbenle (concussion / head injury)
• For Toronto, Isabelle Harrison and All-Star Marina Mabrey scored only 8 points each.
• This was Toronto’s lowest scoring game this season. Their previous low was a 68-65 loss to Washington on May 8, their very first game.

Up Next

• Mystics: Will play at home against Portland on Thursday.
• Tempo: Will play at home against Atlanta on Friday.

Summary

The Washington Mystics beat the Toronto Tempo 79-62 by playing super strong in the second half. Washington’s Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin were top performers, and the team won the rebound battle big time. Toronto was missing key players due to injuries and had their worst scoring night of the season. Next up, Washington hosts Portland and Toronto hosts Atlanta.

FAQ

What does "short-handed" mean in basketball?
It means a team is missing several players, usually because of injuries, so they have fewer healthy people to play with.

What is a rebound?
A rebound is when a player catches the ball after someone shoots and misses the hoop.

What are second-chance points?
These are points a team scores after getting a rebound from their own missed shot — basically a second try to score.

Where can I read more WNBA news?
You can visit the AP WNBA page here: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball