Latest news with #DamirisDantas
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever hit franchise milestone after Caitlin Clark's big game vs. Sun
The post Fever hit franchise milestone after Caitlin Clark's big game vs. Sun appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Fever are heading to uncharted territory. With an 88-71 triumph over the Connecticut Sun, the Fever have officially clinched their first-ever trip to the Commissioner's Cup championship. Caitlin Clark shone as the star of the night, delivering a composed and commanding performance. Just two games removed from a quad injury, the 23-year-old guard looked fully recharged. She finished with 20 points, six assists, sinking four three-pointers out of her six attempts. Her presence brought pace and purpose, lighting up the scoreboard and giving her teammates room to shine. Advertisement But Clark was not alone in lifting Indiana to this franchise milestone. Kelsey Mitchell chipped-in 17 points, while Natasha Howard held down the paint with 16 points and 12 rebounds, securing her double-double with hustle on both ends of the floor. Damiris Dantas stepped up with 13 off the bench, giving the Fever a key scoring boost during a third-quarter stretch that pulled the game wide open. Indiana set the tone early, opening the game with sharp ball movement, tight defense, and a calm intensity that kept the Sun guessing. By halftime, the Fever had built a solid lead and never let go. When Connecticut tried to fight back in the third, Indiana answered with a flurry of baskets and stops. The game turned into a rout, and the final minutes became a celebration. Still, it wasn't just the basketball that had fans talking. In the third frame, a hard foul on Clark by Connecticut's Jacy Sheldon led to a brief skirmish. Sheldon poked Clark in the eye, and as she stumbled, Marina Mabrey came in late and shoved her to the floor, sparking another heated moment. Officials reviewed the sequence and handed out technical fouls to Clark and Mabrey, and a flagrant on Sheldon. Tensions boiled over again in the final minute. With 46 seconds left, Sheldon made a steal and drove to the basket, only to be wrapped up by Sophie Cunningham on a hard foul. Sheldon bounced up quickly and confronted Cunningham, leading to a shoving match under the rim. The altercation ended with ejections for Cunningham, Sheldon, and Connecticut's Lindsay Allen. Advertisement This win means everything for the Fever. Not only does it mark their first-ever Commissioner's Cup Final appearance, but it also signals a powerful turning point for the franchise. Indiana has gone from a rebuilding team to a contender. With a mix of veteran steadiness and youthful energy, they have found their rhythm. Clark's leadership continues to set the tone, while players like Mitchell and Howard provide the foundation. Now the Fever will turn their attention to the Western Conference champion, the Minnesota Lynx, who will host the final on July 1. It will be a clash between two rising teams with something to prove. For Indiana, this is a shot at real hardware. For a team that has not had much to celebrate in recent years, this is more than a trophy. It is validation. Clark's journey this season has been anything but easy. She entered the league with immense expectations. She has taken hard fouls, drawn media scrutiny, and played through pain. Yet she continues to show why she was the number one pick. Her basketball IQ, long-range shooting, and composure in big moments have elevated the entire Fever squad. And her performance tonight was no exception. The crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse felt that connection. The building was electric from start to finish, and as the Commissioner's Cup Final awaits, one win stands between the Fever and a piece of WNBA history. With the way they are playing, with the way they are growing, and with the fire they showed tonight, that win feels more within reach than ever before. Advertisement Related: Fever's Stephanie White takes savage shot at officials after win vs. Sun Related: Fever's Caitlin Clark gets real about facing challenge after heated Sun meeting
Fox News
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Caitlin Clark returns from injury with a vengeance; Liberty's perfect record falls
The New York Liberty are no longer undefeated, and they can blame Caitlin Clark. Clark lit up the scoreboard in her return from injury, and the Indiana Fever beat the reigning WNBA champions, 102-88. The Liberty, who entered the game at 9-0, led by as many as 11 in the first quarter, but then Caitlin Clark happened. Clark missed five games after injuring her quad against this same Liberty team three weeks ago, but she hardly looked rusty. Clark knocked down six of her first nine 3-pointers and dropped 25 points in the first half, the most she's ever had in any half in her career. The big blow from that first half, though, was her Reggie Miller-esque stretch during which she went 3-for-3 from deep in a 38-second span. Indiana led 53-50 at the half. New York scored nine unanswered points to open the second half, but the Fever quickly answered with 19 consecutive points of their own to kick off a wild 25-3 run to lead by 16, their largest of the day. The Liberty, though, went on a 14-2 run of their own to cut their deficit to just four points. After they eventually made it a three-point game, the game of runs continued, as Indiana scored 17 of the game's next 21 points to again lead by 16. Clark was not able to continue her hot first-half shooting in the second. She scored seven points in the third quarter and went scoreless in the fourth, making just one of her five 3-pointers in the second half. But Lexie Hull, Damiris Dantas, Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham combined to knock down seven of 11 3-pointers (Sophie Cunningham went 3-for-10 from deep). The Fever drained 17 3-pointers, a franchise record, and Clark's seven tied a career high. Clark finished with 32 points, the second-most she's had in a WNBA game. She was one assist away from a double-double, and she also grabbed eight rebounds. Indiana went 2-3 with Clark shelved and are now 3-2 with her on the floor. Those two losses have come by a combined three points. The Fever will host the Connecticut Sun Tuesday, while New York will return to the Big Apple for a date with the Atlanta Dream. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever HC Stephanie White gives crucial injury update amid key roster losses
The post Fever HC Stephanie White gives crucial injury update amid key roster losses appeared first on ClutchPoints. It seems like the Indiana Fever have been having their 'when it rains, it pours' moment lately, losing significant players in Caitlin Clark, Sydney Colson, and Sophie Cunningham and dropping games they normally could've won, like against the Connecticut Sun. Advertisement However, the tides may be turning for the Fever, as head coach Stephanie White delivered some positive updates for a change when she spoke to the media after the team's latest practice. White touched on Colson's and Cunningham's healing process, offering a glimmer of hope that the squad could soon be back to full strength. 'We got good news from both of their MRIs, as good of news as you can get,' White began optimistically. 'So right now, it's a day-to-day thing. We're looking forward to, hopefully, them returning at some point sooner rather than later. But at the same time, it's how each of them progresses in their rehab and in their return to the court action.' White continued on to detail Colson's recovery from an upper leg ailment. 'Syd's been progressing really quickly,' she said. 'She's going to get out there and get some shots up too, so we'll see where she sits when she comes back after her recovery from today, make sure we don't have any setbacks, and then we'll see where she is tomorrow.' Advertisement White also offered a small status update on forward Damiris Dantas and why she was inactive in practice. 'Just a rest day for DD,' White explained. 'She's got a lot of miles on, and [we're] making sure she gets a little bit of rest. She's had a little bit of soreness in her lower body, so [we] don't want that to create or turn into anything.' When asked about how she and the rest of the front office staff have been handling the onslaught of player injuries to start the 2025 WNBA season, White didn't sugarcoat the impact it's had and the way it's forced them to pivot. 'Trying to figure out all of our options,' White answered honestly. 'From potential hardship contracts and players and who's available to how [we are] with our coaches, really. How we reimagine how we're using our players. So we've had a good opportunity in practice today to get a lot of different looks.' These updates come amid Clark's two-week absence due to a quad injury. There's been no new information on her return released by the Fever.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Indiana Fever Suffer Major Loss on Wednesday
Indiana Fever Suffer Major Loss on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Fever will be without forward Damiris Dantas for part of the season, as she's officially been named to Team Brazil's roster for the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup. The international tournament will run from June 28 to July 6, which means Dantas will miss several WNBA games as she represents her home country on the court. Advertisement Chicago Sky's Kamilla Carduso and 19-year-old athlete Manu Alves also made the list. In the seven games Dantas has played so far during the 2025 WNBA season, she has averaged four points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game, while playing approximately 11.4 minutes per game. In her most recent game on Tuesday against the Washington Mystics, the 32-year-old athlete contributed eight points, four rebounds and one steal during 17 minutes of play, aiding the Fever in securing their 85–76 victory. Damiris Dantas saw more playing time late in the season after recovering from injury. She made 39.4% of her Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The FIBA Women's AmeriCup is the Americas Women's Basketball Championship, which takes place every two years between national teams of North and South America. It is also a qualifying tournament for the FIBA Women's World Cup and the Olympic Games. Advertisement Chloe Peterson of the IndyStar reposted the announcement on her X account on Wednesday afternoon. The Fever will be playing against the Dallas Wings on June 27, the Las Vegas Aces on July 3 and the Los Angeles Sparks on July 5. Dantas will likely be absent due to practice and games for the AmericupW. Brazil will be going against Argentina on June 28, Canada on June 30, the Dominican Republic on July 1 and El Salvador on July 2. This roster change adds to the challenges for the Fever, who have already dealt with injuries to key players Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. As a result, the team signed Aari McDonald using a hardship exception. Advertisement Indiana will be playing against the Sky on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago. Related: Caitlin Clark, Fever Suffer Injury Blow on Friday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Indianapolis Star
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Fever have been shorthanded in backcourt. Here's why their frontcourt depth will be tested later this month
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever will be lacking some post depth later this month as backup center Damiris Dantas will miss four games to play for the Brazil in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup tournament. The Fever expect Dantas to miss four games between June 25-July 8 (vs. Los Angeles, June 26; at Dallas, June 27; vs. Las Vegas, July 3; vs. Los Angeles, July 5). The AmeriCup will be in Santiago, Chile, from June 28-July 6. Dantas will miss Brazil's training camp, which starts on June 15 in Sao Paulo, because of her obligations to the Fever. She will meet the team in Chile a few days before the tournament, leaving the Fever after a three-game West Coast trip finishes in Seattle on June 24. More: Jim Banks says Fever fans deserve apologies after WNBA hateful speech investigation Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso is also expected to play in the tournament for Brazil. The AmeriCup is typically played every other year, dating back to 1991. Brazil has been the most successful team in the tournament's history with six gold medals. Cardoso was the MVP of the tournament in 2023, while Dantas was named to the All-Tournament Team. On the Fever, Dantas has been the main backup for starting center Aliyah Boston this season. She is averaging 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11 minutes per game this season. In her absence, the Fever's frontcourt depth will consist of Bri Turner and rookie Makayla Timpson.
