For a crisp Tuesday morning, Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis was nearly bursting as more than 17,000 fans gathered to watch the Indiana Fever defend home court against the Washington Mystics on July 10.
Summer camps and educational institutions bussed their students and campers to the arena to take in all the atmosphere at this year’s Fever Kids Day.
Despite the 89-84 loss, the Indiana Fever made it worthwhile for the sold-out crowd.
Fever rookie Caitlin Clark led the charge with 29 points, 13 assists and five rebounds while notching five three-pointers. Clark became the first player, NBA or WNBA, to record such a stat line since the 1973-74 season.
Following the contest, Clark spoke about the team’s late-game rally against Washington.
“Our fourth quarter was great, but you can’t play one quarter of basketball and expect to win in this league. It is hard to win games like that, but we know we can be a lot better.”
Guard Kelsey Mitchell tallied 14 points, three rebounds and a couple of assists.
Off the bench, forward NaLyssa Smith put up 11 points, two blocks and a couple of rebounds.
Clark, Mitchell and forward Aliyah Boston will represent the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game on July 20 in Phoenix, AZ.
More News: Reese shines in win over Indiana Fever
Conversely, the Mystics were firing on all cylinders, as five players notched double figures in scoring. Guard Ariel Atkins led the charge with 26 points.
Atkins, who won gold with the USA Women’s National Basketball Team in the 2020 Olympics, added three rebounds, three steals and three assists.
Atkins said communication was a key component to their win.
“I thought we were talking a lot, which is really helpful for me as a guard,” Atkins said.
Center Stefanie Dolson totaled 13 points, six assists and five rebounds. Dolson also spoke about her passing skills.
“I think it was our pace,” Dolson said. “I think when we play our offense with a little bit of pace, it can catch guards off balance. We were just moving the ball really well.”
Rookie guard Julie Vanloo also notched 13 points and a couple of assists.
First-year forward Aliyah Edwards also had a productive outing, adding a dozen points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Mystics forced an alarming 23 turnovers. Head coach Eric Thibault praised his squad following the victory.
“I thought we did a lot of things well,” Thibault said. “I thought we played with good force, and we made them feel us. We were disciplined in our coverages, which is what we wanted to do better than last time.”
Subsequently, Clark spoke about the Mystics defense.
Editorial: The Caitlin Clark hate is played out
“It is really hard to win basketball games when you have 23 turnovers, especially when they lead to 23 points,” Clark said.
Despite the loss, Indiana leads the season series 2-1 with one game remaining set for Sept. 19.
The Fever’s next contest is against the Phoenix Mercury on July 12 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. This game is the final home showing for the Fever before the nearly monthlong WNBA break due to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral.
