Toronto Tempo start well but can't sustain momentum in 102-77 loss to Atlanta Dream

Atlanta Dream's Jordin Canada (3) drives past Toronto Tempo's Julie Allemand (22) during second half WNBA basketball action in Toronto, on Sunday, June 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan

TORONTO — Ahead of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Dream, Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello spoke about needing to see consistent energy from her team across 40 minutes.

As if on cue, Toronto came out energized against Atlanta, racing to a healthy 25-13 lead after the first quarter. But the Dream raised its level and the Tempo couldn’t sustain momentum for the remaining 30 minutes, outscoring the home team in each of the next three quarters to capture a 102-77 victory at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

“Momentum changes,” Brondello said after the game. “We did such a good job in the first quarter, but this team’s too good and they lifted the intensity up, their aggressiveness, and it kind of took us out of what we needed to do.”

Tempo point guard Julie Allemand opened the game by draining a three-pointer, and Brondello said she felt her club was connected at both ends of the floor to begin the contest. But the Dream responded in the second quarter, using a 12-0 run to claw back into the game. By halftime, Atlanta led 47-39.

“When we get a little stagnant is when we hold it too long, but credit to them,” said Brondello. “I think they raised up their defensive intensity, and we didn’t find solutions well enough to exploit that.

“They went to switching, which was hurting us as well.”

The Dream was led by Allisha Gray, who scored 26 points, and Rhyne Howard, who added 24. Centre Angel Reese had a double-double with 17 rebounds and 15 points for Atlanta.

Isabelle Harrison led the Tempo with 17 points in just over 19 minutes of play. But she was ejected midway through the third quarter after being charged with a flagrant foul while contesting a rebound against Reese, who went on to miss both her free-throws much to the Tempo fans’ delight.

Brondello thought the game’s momentum had shifted before Harrison’s ejection, but acknowledged it was tough to lose the six-foot-three forward for the remainder of the game.

“It’s unfortunate,” she said. ”I thought Izzy was playing so well for us, and she was a big target.

“I thought she did a great job on Angel Reese, and that’s a hard guard.”

As the Tempo continue to navigate their inaugural season, the club has faced several key injuries, including to centre Nyara Sabally, who missed a second straight game Sunday and remains day-to-day with a right hamstring injury. Even so, Brondello will continue to preach to her team the need to string together four strong quarters and deepen their identity as a defensively-minded team.

“We say 40 minutes, (but) just trying to have consistent effort and execution for as long a period as we can,” Brondello said. “Staying in the moment, not getting too high or too low.

“I think sometimes the emotions get the best of us and take away from how we want to play, and they’re all controllable.”

On Tuesday, the Tempo will begin a stretch of three road games before returning home June 25. Brondello said she’s looking forward to the trip.

“I love going on the road,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for us to continue to grow together, bond together, and play really good teams, and hopefully continue to show more of our identity.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2026.

Kaitlyn McGrath, The Canadian Press