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SAN FRANCISCO — Alyssa Thomas stood at the free throw line with 1 second remaining in a tie game between her Phoenix Mercury and the Golden State Valkyries, as boos from the Chase Center crowd rained down.
She missed the first free throw but swished the second through the hoop, securing the 78-77 victory for Phoenix — and drawing the ire of Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, who didn’t hold back her disappointment that the game was decided at the line.
“It’s so unfortunate that they get a win off of a free throw with no defense,” Nakase said. “That’s tough.”
She continued: “To sit there and watch someone win a game off of a free throw, that’s a disservice. I’m just asking for consistency. I’m begging for consistency. Hey, if it’s because I’m a rookie coach then I’ll take the loss. So if I have to be better with the refs, if there’s a badge of honor that I have to earn, then I’ll do it. I’ll blame myself.”
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Thomas got to the free throw line off a foul called on Cecilia Zandalasini. Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani bounce-passed the ball to Thomas just outside of the paint with 2 seconds left on the game clock. As Thomas took a dribble, Zandalasini slid into the restricted area with both hands up.
As Thomas went up for her shot, the two made contact and Zandalasini was immediately whistled for the foul.
“I saw absolutely no foul,” Nakase said. “The physicality of the game for Phoenix was 10 times more versus our physicality. I saw absolutely no foul … I believe you have to win off of great shots. That’s just part of it. So I think we deserve that.”
The first half was a game of runs. The Valkyries got off to a slow start, outscored 12-2 in the opening minutes, but closed the first quarter on an 18-4 run.
Phoenix then outscored Golden State 11-3 in the final 4:43 of the first half to go up by four.
In the fourth quarter, the Mercury failed to make a free throw until the 5:38 mark, but the Valkyries still let them back in.
The Valkyries made 14 3-pointers but shot just 33.8% from inside the arc, consistently missing layups and other shots close to the rim.
Janelle Salaun hit a tough 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds left in regulation to pull Golden State within one, and after a Thomas free throw Salaun hit another shot — this time a baseline jumper — to tie the game with 6.8 seconds to go.
Phoenix’s next possession saw Thomas get fouled by Zandalasini and seal the win on her second free throw attempt.
“I was so proud of the execution down the stretch, the fight, how hard we played — I couldn’t have asked for a better game. I really do believe that,” Nakase said. “I felt like we did the right things in a very crunch-time moment … it’s just losing off of a free throw, that to me hurts.”
Nakase joins a long list of WNBA personnel who have called out the league’s officiating.
Most recently, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese said last week it’s a problem that “has to be fixed.”
“I don’t give a damn if I get fined because that s— is cheap, and I’m tired of this s—,” Reese said. “Cause I’ve been nice, and I’ve been humble with it, but I am tired of this s—.”
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum also voiced her displeasure after a lack of calls in an overtime loss to the Valkyries on June 9.
“I got scratches on my face, I got scratches on my body, and these other guards on the other team get these ticky-tack fouls, and I’m sick of it,” Plum said.
Also last month, Indiana coach Stephanie White criticized the referees for not controlling the Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun, which led to two scuffles and three ejections.
“When the officials don’t get control of the ball game — when they allow this stuff to happen, and it’s been happening all season long … this is what happens,” White said.
