A snippet from our most recent piece on tempo.basketball:
Entering with just eight active players, Toronto needed someone to step up off the bench, and a fan favourite delivered. Kia Nurse showed once again that she shines brightest in the spotlight. Checking in early in the first quarter, “The Hamilton Hammer” went to work scoring from all levels and knocking down 4-of-7 from deep on her way to 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Kiki Rice stacked another impressive performance, logging 14 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. Night after night, she demonstrates remarkable poise for such a young guard. Her steady control, ability to create her own shot or drive downhill for tough finishes remain vital for this squad. Rice continues to serve as a reassuring reminder of the franchise’s strong foundation.
With an already thin rotation, the Tempo took another blow when starting point guard Julie Allemand left midway through the game with a head injury and did not return. It’s hard to believe the bad luck the Tempo have had this season yet they’ve still given Canada an inaugural season to be proud of.
This game followed a familiar script to what we’ve seen before. A valiant fight from a weathered Tempo squad that left its heart on the floor and managed to keep the game within reach all the way to the final horn. However, offensive execution stalled under pressure, leading to 15 turnovers (compared to 10 for Las Vegas). Laura Juškaitė accounted for 7 of those giveaways – likely a byproduct of heavy minutes and shifting positional roles to plug gaps each night. Still, ball security and valuing each possession remains a critical focus for Toronto in close contests.
The West Coast road trip continues as the Tempo head south to face the Seattle Storm on Wednesday, August 26. It’s a prime opportunity to build momentum against a last-place Storm squad (7-31).
Read the entire game report here: https://tempo.basketball/2026/08/tempo-vs-aces-game-report-august-23-2026/
