The Fever had been there and done that. After all, theirs was a season spent patching holes, surviving injuries, and leaning on whoever was left standing. And so they wound up oddly prepared for the challenge; down 2–1 in the semifinals and with elimination one bad stretch away, they summoned a sense of desperation that was anything but reckless. Instead, it was sharp, insistent, and disciplined. Against the heavily favored Aces, they played with conviction and refused to fold, in the process claiming victory and forcing a winner-take-all encounter on Thursday for a spot in the finals.
Fittingly, the Fever’s campaign was spearheaded by All-Star Aliyah Boston, hitherto overworked on defense and all but forgotten on the other end of the floor. Her 24, 14, five, two, and two mattered, needless to say, but it was the constant pressure she applied — drawing fouls, carving space, imposing her will — that shifted the balance in favor of the hosts. Most Valuable Player candidate Kelsey Mitchell complemented her presence with a polished 25, including a late jumper through contact that gave them breathing room. Hardship pickup Odyssey Sims chipped in 18, steady in moments when order was most needed. And then there was the unheralded work around them that carried equal weight: Lexie Hull on the floor for loose balls, Shey Peddy disrupting passing lanes, Makayla Timpson covering the paint with authority.
In a nutshell, Game Four of the semis was a story of intent. The Fever forced 17 turnovers, converted them into 25 points, and outrebounded the Aces by a whopping 14. If nothing else, the numbers underscored their status as the aggressors dictating terms rather than the underdogs reacting. Newly minted MVP A’ja Wilson poured in 31, nine, three, four, and three, touching the ball on just about every possession and subsequently encountering success. Still, they refused to let her brilliance dictate the outcome; they found ways to blunt those around her, thus daring her to craft the triumph by shouldering a historically ridiculous load. And by the closing minutes, they had tilted the contest into preferred circumstances: close, frantic, and decided by force.
Interestingly, what sealed the set-to was not a highlight but a mistake. With half a minute and change left, the Aces, already down seven, burned a timeout they did not have; it was a shocking slip from the experienced coaching staff led by decorated Becky Hammon that handed the Fever a free throw and possession. In an encounter where the latter had thrived on making little things count, the error was fatal. The ensuing three charities stretched the margin, and composure ensured the outcome. Certainly, it was an ending that validated their ethos all season: endure the blows, stay upright, and then wait for the opponents to fold.
Forcing a do-or-die Game Five is no small feat, especially against determined competition. That the Fever have done so versus the heavily favored Aces reflects their identity; they have become used to the uncomfortable, seasoned in marching on with the cliff at their heels. The final challenge awaits at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, where the partisan crowd, the pedigree, and the poise will appear to lean toward their rivals. But they have already shown that the gravity of the situation does not scare them. To the contrary, they welcome it, having carried throughout their campaign a conviction that when everything is at stake, nothing is impossible.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
