A tripping foul called on rookie Monique Akoa Makani at 6:13 of the fourth quarter drew public criticism from Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, who described the play as unacceptable and a red flag. Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts defended Makani, calling her one of the sweetest players and dismissing Nakase's comments. The called foul was deemed a common foul by officials and did not cause major injury. The Valkyries remain hampered by injuries: Tiffany Hayes returned after rest, Cecilia Zandalasini is out with a left calf issue, and Carla Leite and Iliana Rupert are questionable.
At the 6:13 mark of the fourth quarter, rookie Monique Akoa Makani was called for a tripping foul as she attempted to stop Valkyries' guard Veronica Burton from driving to the rim. It was deemed a common foul by the officials, a decision that drew the ire of Nakase, who called the foul unacceptable. Nakase, a first-year coach but no stranger to voicing her opinions about fouls or officiating, explained why she had trouble with the foul during the postgame press conference.
While the foul did not result in any major injury, the Valkyries are still dealing with a number of ailments, even if starting two-guard Tiffany Hayes is back in the lineup after sitting out the last game for rest purposes. Sharpshooter Cecilia Zandalasini, who had scored in double-figures in each of her past five games, will now miss a second game in a row with a left calf injury. Carla Leite (foot) and Iliana Rupert (concussion) were both listed as questionable.
Collection
[
|
...
]