After a slower-than-expected start in the first half against expansion side Toronto Tempo, Angel Reese got right back to it in the second half, and head coach Karl Smesko believed it had something to do with keeping calm under testing circumstances.

The Dream overcame the Tempo in an overwhelming 102-77 fashion. Speaking postgame, Smesko credited Reese's maturity in handling situations not necessarily in her favor.

"... Definitely it's one of those situations where she's going to be inside, she's going to be physical, and sometimes not getting the calls, you know, have to manage it. You can't control it, so you just gotta keep playing. I thought she [Reese] did that tonight, and I think that's a large reason why she had such a great second half of the game." Smesko said, per reporter Wilton C. Jackson II.

After a 25-13 first-quarter deficit, the Dream had a massive second quarter with 34 points under its belt. Over the next three quarters, the Dream outscored Toronto 89-52 to never trail in the game again.

And Reese made sure that the Dream had enough possessions to run the game on their own terms.

The 23-year-old pulled down 17 rebounds, 11 on the offensive end, recording her ninth double-double of the season with 15 points. Her 11 offensive rebounds tied the second-most in a single WNBA game.

While Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard combined for 50 points on 50% shooting from the field, even Gray gave Reese her flowers for being the difference on both ends of the court.

"Angel's a beast on the board," Gray said after the win. "She does everything that we need to help us win and accomplish our goals for the game."

While it was a remarkable performance by Reese, it wasn't without its own issues.

Angel Reese's Former Teammate Took Her Down in a Flagrant 2 Foul

Midway through the third quarter, Tempo forward Isabelle Harrison actually hit Reese hard after she tried to power her way through Harrison under the basket.

However, Harrison tackled Reese to the ground, which obviously led to a heated exchange between the two. Reese was seen visibly emotional after this scuffle, as Harrison was a teammate of hers during her rookie year in 2024.

As for Harrison, her foul was initially called a common foul, but the referees upgraded it to a Flagrant 2 and ejected her. She will pay a fine of $1,000 and is now two flagrant points away from receiving an automatic one-game suspension.

The Dream and the Tempo will face each other again on June 22, and it will be interesting to see how Reese and Harrison match up against each other for the second time this season.

The Dream finishes 4-2 in the Commissioner's Cup and raises $14,000 for the King Center.

So, who do you think is winning the in-season tournament this time around? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy