The Toronto Tempo just got hit with a gut-wrenching one-two punch that effectively torpedoed any lingering hope for their season. Coach Sandy Brondello dropped the bomb Sunday: veteran guard Brittney Sykes and rising forward Aneesah Morrow are both reportedly out for the rest of the 2026 season due to injuries. This isn’t just bad news, it’s a catastrophe for an expansion club already fighting for its life.
The Injury Crisis Deepens
These aren’t minor bumps either. Sykes is battling a foot injury, and Morrow’s got a knee issue. Both went down in Friday’s win over the Portland Fire, a game that should have been a huge morale boost after snapping a brutal 12-game losing streak. Instead, it delivered another crushing blow, with Morrow having to be helped off the court. The good news, if you can even call it that, is neither player needs surgery for their recovery. Still, they’re done for 2026. This hits extra hard for Sykes, who had *just* returned to play after a plantar fascia foot injury sidelined her for 18 games since June. Morrow, meanwhile, got hurt less than a month after being traded to Toronto from the Connecticut Sun. Talk about rotten luck.
Seven Players. Seriously?
But wait, it gets worse. Sykes and Morrow are just the tip of the iceberg. The team’s leading scorer, Marina Mabrey, is also dealing with injury issues and missed Sunday’s matchup. Nyara Sabally and Maria Conde are out too, both nursing left calf injuries. This injury plague left the Tempo absolutely decimated for their Sunday game against the Las Vegas Aces, with only seven players even cleared to play! They activated developmental player Ornella Bankole just to get them to eight, but Brondello confirmed the league won’t even give them a hardship contract. You can’t make this stuff up.
This was supposed to be a promising first year for the Tempo, an expansion club with early hopes for a playoff run. But between that soul-crushing 12-game losing streak and this unbelievable string of injuries, their chances have totally evaporated. They were officially eliminated from the postseason this week. With seven games left after Sunday’s action, it’s less about winning and more about just getting through it with whoever’s still standing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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