After the success the Connecticut Sun had last season with a sold-out TD Garden, they decided to go for Round 2 against the Indiana Fever and sold out the arena again with over 19,000 fans in attendance. That included six buses of season-ticket holders, making the trip from Uncasville, Conn.
Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever came to town to face the Sun, but this game was about much more than Clark; it marked another huge moment in the growth of women’s basketball.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I don’t think any of us really expected this big of a turnout last year,” Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa told reporters before the game. “So for it to happen again this year, and to also, be playing a great opponent too, at the same time, it’s really just a special feeling. I think the city of Boston has really welcomed us with open arms, and have been so supportive of our team and just receptive to our team and what we bring, and has just shown so much love.”
Nelson-Ododa and injured guard Marina Mabrey, were the only returning Sun players to witness both games and the warm welcome from sports fans in Boston.
“I would just say the energy[makes them different], the energy is different in here. When you come here, the fans are on 1,000, it doesn’t even matter. That was the first thing I noticed last year, even warming up, when they’re calling out your name, even down to like the last bit of the game, they’re all still staying there and they’re watching the game all the way through. I just keep going back to the energy. It was just an incredible atmosphere to play in front of, and they bring it every time,” Nelson-Ododa said.
Walking into the arena was a special moment for Sun rookie guard Saniya Rivers, something all rookies dream of doing, playing in front of fans at a sold-out NBA-sized arena.
“I’m not gonna lie, it [walking into the arena for the first time] was crazy, championships have been won on this floor, and I’ve never even been to an NBA game. So this is surreal for me, and I’m just blessed to be a part of it,” Rivers told The Next pregame.
Party on Canal Street
Before the game, the Sun held a block party right outside of TD Garden as fans flooded the streets with orange. There were many opportunities for fans to get involved and excited, including a basketball skills station, a photo booth, live DJs and more. There were unique food options as well, with a cart serving ice cream in cups that had basketball hoops attached to them.
As tip-off approached, the music shook the streets as Sun-branded paper fans waved around in the air. The fans seemed to be enjoying the festivities while they got ready for the game, smiling and sharing laughs in Beantown.
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The entrance
The crowd was rumbling as the players took the floor for tip-off. Nelson-Ododa tapped the ball out to Charles, winning the tip for Connecticut, another peak for this anxious crowd.
The first quarter started off like a tennis match, back-and-forth and back again. The competitiveness between these teams was clear and visible, showing a new market of fans the high quality of entertainment that women’s basketball continues to offer.
Even WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who was in attendance for the historic game, voiced her pleasure with the energy and turnout.
“Just walking in with the crowd today, I mean, this looks like it’s gonna be a packed house,” Engelbert told reporters before the game. “I think it’s so great that Connecticut made the decision to upgrade this to an NBA-sized arena. It’s important, I think, that we play in bigger arenas for big games. This is on ESPN tonight. I think it’s important, as we grow, that arenas grow with us. And obviously, Mohegan Sun Arena is great also, but it’s great to come to Boston, because there’s no WNBA team here, but it’s close enough to the Connecticut Sun fan base as well.”
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Fan conflict with Rivers
Unfortunately, there was one definite blight on the otherwise positive outing, which occurred with 6:30 left in the second quarter. Rivers was inbounding the basketball, and it appeared that a fan sitting courtside, wearing Indiana Fever gear, said something inappropriate to her. She brought the incident to the attention of the referees, who called security and had the man escorted out of the arena.
Rivers was very visibly upset as she explained to the referees what happened. Rivers spoke with Emily Adams of the Hartford Courant postgame, confirming what had happened. Adams reported that Rivers was in good spirits about the situation.
Sun head coach Rachid Meziane was near Rivers when this happened and spoke on it following the game.
“I want to say that I think that today, it was a good game,” Meziane told reporters during the postgame press conference. “It was a good show for the fans. And like I said, this opportunity to promote women’s basketball was a great opportunity for everybody. Players like Saniya, they are connected to the fans. So this is one part of their job, too now. I know that we have a lot of people around her, in our club, who help to guide her because it’s not easy to handle this social media stuff as a player. So this is a part of their job.”
Fan spirit
The third quarter started the same way as the first quarter, with both teams trading baskets. The fans erupted every time a basket went in, from either team, as the energy shook the entire arena, vibrating the seats.
There were many posters made by children scattered throughout the crowd, and among them was a young fan who had the Fever logo painted on one cheek and the Sun logo on the other. During the t-shirt toss, nearly the entire every fan rose to their feet, screaming in the hopes of catching one to commemorate the day.
“I think that it’s very nice to play here…where basketball was invented [Massachusetts], it’s something crazy. It’s more than a game,” Meziane said.
Rivers echoed the sentiment, pointing to the value of testing new markets as the league eyes further expansion.
“It means a lot. First of all, we’re bringing some women’s basketball to Boston in general, and just as much as we can expand, and I know that there’s been rumors about possibly relocating here. So I think it’s just a great start, getting people involved in women’s basketball in Boston,” Rivers said.
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Rivers has grown to love Boston during the time she has been able to spend in the city. She was in Boston a few weeks back and said her favorite part about visiting was the food.
“The food is so much better here. I’m not gonna lie, I’m a big foodie, and that’s one thing I miss about back home…They got a lot of shops here. I love to shop on off days. [Those are] my two favorite things to do when I’m out,” Rivers said.
Charles expressed that she was excited for her teammates on this younger squad to get to experience a moment like last night. Even as a die-hard New York Knicks fan, Charles still felt a lot of gratitude.
“I’m very thankful to have the opportunity. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to play in some NBA arenas, but it’s very special to be here….I’m very excited for my teammates to be able to have this experience,” Charles said before the game.
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The Finale
The score was close most of the game until Clark hit a few big shots towards the end of the fourth quarter, putting the Fever in the lead. The Sun just weren’t able to claw back into the game with the time ticking quickly.
The Sun ended up falling to the Fever 85-77 in a hard-fought battle. But the future looks bright for the Sun as their rookies continue to make an impact.
Sun rookie guard Leïla Lacan recorded 19 points and three steals in just her fifth game with the team. Lacan took control at different points, but really shone at the end of the game, when she began to drive to the basket more.
“My coaches and my teammates are helping me. When I don’t understand something, they are always checking that I get it…It’s what they asked me to do. I’m better at driving, then shooting. So I try to help the team with my abilities,” Lacan said.
Even though the Sun lost, they aren’t looking at it in a negative way. How they lose has been an emphasis from Charles this season, especially during their 10-game losing streak.
“I think these last couple of games, we’ve been able to see that turnover, see that growth,” Charles said after the game. “And that’s that was my message to the team, we lost this game, but we lost it differently, and we are getting better. So take this time [All-Star break], get our bodies right, and when we come back, hopefully we continue to see the same team, but with a winning effort.”
