The first meeting of the year between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky did not disappoint. Rising emotions in the Midwestern rivalry led to a scuffle between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese late in the third quarter.
Things started with Clark committing a clear foul on Reese, stripping Reese of the ball and giving her enough of a push to knock her off-balance. Reese was not happy about the play, confronting Clark as Aliyah Boston tried to hold her back.
Advertisement
Advertisement
After review, Clark was assessed a flagrant foul for the extra contact, categorized as a Flagrant 1. Reese and Boston were given off-setting technical fouls for the skirmish after the foul.
Reese was given two free throws as a result of Clark’s flagrant and made one of the two attempts.
At the quarter break, Clark told the ESPN broadcast her only intention was to stop Reese from scoring. Reese had a wide-open path to the basket prior to Clark’s foul, which was intended as a “take foul” — a strategic foul meant to stop a fastbreak or an open opportunity.
Clark was seen speaking to the officials after the foul was assessed, trying to argue that the play was not a flagrant.
Advertisement
Advertisement
“It’s just a good take foul,” Clark told ESPN. “Either Angel gets a wide-open two points or we send ’em to the free-throw line. Nothing malicious about it. It’s just a good take foul, every basketball player knows that.”
Postgame, Clark and Boston spoke about the incident further — though Boston, who did not realize that she had been given a technical, went through a full range of emotions.
“Let’s not make it anything that it’s not. It was just a good play on the basketball. I’m not sure what the refs saw to upgrade it.,” Clark said. “I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious, that’s not the type of player I am.”
Despite admitting to it being a foul, Clark was adamant that it wasn’t a flagrant. “I went for the ball that’s clear as day in the replay. You watch it, it shouldn’t have been upgraded. But again, that’s up to the ref’s discretion.”
Reese kept it simple when asked about the foul postgame. “Basketball play. Refs got it right. Move on,” she said, via The Athletic’s James Boyd.
Advertisement
Advertisement
After the game, officials explained the upgrade in the postgame pool report, the referees saying that Clark’s “wind up, impact and follow through” led to her receiving a flagrant.
The officials added that Boston received her technical due to a “physical taunt” and that Reese’s was a verbal technical. (Reese appeared to ask Clark “The f*** is wrong with you?” after the play.)
The Fever finished with a 93-58 win over the Sky behind a 20-point triple-double from Clark, who finished with 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
