Fever force Game 5

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 fora spot in the finals.

- ANTHONY L. CUAYCONG

Fittingly, the Fever’s campaign was spearheaded by All-Star Aliyah Boston, hitherto overworked on defense andall 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 cover-

ing the paint with authority.