Tempo vs. Fever: Caitlin Clark love blurs the line between home and road in Toronto - Toronto Star

Friday night's Toronto crowd was divided. Some wore half-Tempo, half-Fever gear at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Indiana’s Caitlin Clark guards Laura Juskaite of the Tempo in Friday night’s WNBA game at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

A day before Caitlin Clark made her final Toronto appearance of the season with the Indiana Fever, a months-long secret was out in Ottawa.

The parents of soon-to-be nine-year-old Tenley Schefski informed the child they would be making the four-hour-plus drive to watch her favourite player up close for her birthday.

“I was like, I can’t believe what just happened,” said Tenley, who turns nine on Sunday. “I was so excited, and I can’t believe we’re here right now.”

Fans dangled over the railings by the Fever’s tunnel entrance inside Coca-Cola Coliseum on Friday night shouting Clark’s name and clamouring for autographs. Canadian WNBA fans young and old made the trek and spent whatever it took to witness a player many credit with transforming women’s basketball.

10th game this season with 25+ PTS and 10+ AST for Caitlin Clark, more than any other player in WNBA history has in their career 😤 she finished with 28 PTS, 14 AST & 6 REB tonight against Toronto. pic.twitter.com/c1bDQPwFnC

In the end, the Fever defeated the Tempo 103-85. Kelsey Mitchell dropped a game-high 33 points to break the WNBA’s single-season scoring record (now with 1,034, passing A’ja Wilson’s 2024 high of 1,021) while Clark finished with 28 points on 7-for-11 shooting with six rebounds and 14 assists.  

“I’ve really enjoyed both these games here,” said Clark, who scored 24 points when the teams met at Scotiabank Arena in August. “It’s been a lot of fun for me to know how passionate they are, so I’ll be looking forward to coming back next year.”  

Clark jerseys through the years was visible at the home of the Tempo, back to her Iowa collegiate days.

It was tough for Eric and Alissa Schefski to keep the secret from daughter Tenley, who had pestered them during the season after some friends went to WNBA games.

“One day, could we go to a Tempo game?” she asked.

 Alissa and Eric Schefski with nine-year-old daughter Tenley at Friday’s Toronto Tempo game. The tickets were a present for Tenley’s upcoming birthday.  

The Schefskis kept things tight-lipped. In March, they secured tickets for two games around her birthday, after the FIBA World Cup break. As it turned out, the Tempo were playing Clark’s Fever and another family favourite: Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty on Sunday.

Tenley plays under-10 basketball in Ottawa and has plans for her own YouTube channel some day, featuring basketball trick shots at the family home. Inspired by Clark’s work ethic, she also dreams of one day playing for Canada’s WNBA team.

“There was nothing like this when we were growing up, so it’s very cool to have a daughter that has people she can look up to,” said mom Alissa. “She can see herself doing this one day.”

The Toronto crowd was divided. Some wore half-Tempo, half-Fever gear, including 16-year-old Annalise Verbruggen, who awaited Clark’s arrival with a slew of trading cards. Verbruggen’s family has Tempo season tickets, but she sported Clark’s jersey on the night.

“This is a one-day thing,” joked Verbruggen. “I was a Caitlin Clark fan before the Tempo was even announced at all. Trust me, I have my fair share of Tempo merch.”

Caitlin Clark said this might be the first time she’s played in an arena with birds chirping: “Hopefully we could play at Scotiabank the rest of the way… I’ve enjoyed both these games here, it’s been a lot of fun for me. I can tell how passionate (the fans) are.” pic.twitter.com/9SjT6vk9CZ

Gus Green and Lorelei Atkinson said they had been waiting a long time to watch Clark in person. They refuse to travel south of the border because of tensions between Canada and the United States, but eagerly jumped on a flight here from their hometown of Argyle, N.S.  

They paid about $600 each for resale tickets, but said it was worth it.

“I might get trouble saying it in this building, but I’m not sure Toronto would have a team if it weren’t for all the eyes that Caitlin brought to this league,” said Green. “She’s just exploded women’s basketball, and it’s just so nice to see a positive role model out there playing sports.”

Clark is in the running for WNBA MVP and entered Friday’s game with season averages of 22.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists. Her signature shoe is also expected to launch in October.

“She’s completely different than any other player we’ve ever watched,” said Green. “It’s not just her skill, it’s just everything she brings to the game. The personality, the poise under pressure, the grace. It’s the humility. It’s just a joy to watch.”

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Libaan Osman is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for the Star's city team. Reach him via email: losman@thestar.ca.