INDIANAPOLIS — With an opportunity for the Fever to safe an early assertion win in opposition to the reigning champions Liberty at dwelling on Saturday, it was the officiating, not the gamers, who took heart stage.
A collection of calls within the remaining 10 seconds all went in opposition to the hosts, culminating in Caitlin Clark being stripped by Natasha Cloud on the ultimate play of the sport as New York escaped with a two-point win.
After the sport, Fever head coach Stephanie White held nothing again on her ideas of not simply the ultimate play, however the remedy she’s felt her facet has acquired from officers during the last week.
“I believed she obtained fouled,” White mentioned. “I feel it’s fairly egregious what’s been occurring to us the previous few video games, a minus-31 free throw discrepancy. And I’d be capable of perceive that if we have been simply chucking threes, however we’re not. We’re attacking the rim and the disrespect proper now for our workforce has been fairly unbelievable.
“It’s disappointing that it doesn’t go each methods or it hasn’t gone each methods.”
The free throw discrepancy White referenced was not simply within the Liberty recreation wherein New York shot 17 extra free throws, however the distinction in makes an attempt on the charity stripe during the last week that additionally featured a pair of bodily video games in opposition to the Dream.
The ultimate play of the sport on Saturday wasn’t the one controversy both. With simply over 10 seconds remaining, DeWanna Bonner was blocked on a layup try by Cloud on a play that had loads of contact concerned.
This is the Bonner play that White additionally known as “loopy” postgame. Would not appear to be there have been many, if any, replays proven aside from one fast onepic.twitter.com/Hghbry54nk
— Jacob Impolite (@JacobRude) Might 24, 2025
On the following Liberty possession, Sabrina Ionescu obtained to the rim and was fouled by Lexie Hull, sending her to the road for 2 free throws with 2.9 seconds left that finally was the distinction within the recreation.
“I believed it was egregious, actually,” White mentioned of the 2 selections by the refs. “(Bonner’s) was loopy after which Lexie…we discuss coming into the trail and it was an offensive participant veering into the defensive participant’s path, so I imply it’s what it’s. We’ve to have the ability to play by way of it, however on the similar time I really feel prefer it’s actually disrespectful.”
Just like the NBA, the WNBA has a system in place wherein groups can submit video clips to the league workplace of performs they really feel have been incorrect. Nevertheless, it’s a course of wherein the change that comes from it’s laborious to measure.
“There’s a system to ensure that we will ship stuff in and talk our grievances, so to talk,” White mentioned. “I don’t know that I ever really feel just like the system works. We’re not on the lookout for a change. We’re simply on the lookout for consistency.”
And on a day when a pair of non-calls on the Fever sandwiched game-winning free throws for the Liberty, one might perceive the emotion and want for consistency, proper or flawed.
