Portland Fire Lose Preseason Finale 85-75
Tonight, Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Portland Fire 85-75. Portland now ends the preseason without a win. Learn more in this piece.
Four days after Portland played it’s first WNBA preseason game - a rivalry bout in Seattle - fans flocked to Moda Center for the Fire’s first home game.
While the final score did not result in a win, as Portland lost to Los Angeles 85-75, thousands of fans in attendance celebrated the return of professional women’s basketball to the Rose City.
Days after sitting six players in their preseason opener, tonight they sat seven: Teja Oblak, Sug Sutton, Kamiah Smalls, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Karlie Samuelson, Emily Engstler, and Megan Gustafson.
Limited by those injuries, the Fire began the game with a fascinating lineup: point guard Carla Leite was flanked by wings Haley Jones and Bridget Carleton, forward Nyadiew Puoch, and center Luisa Geiselsöder.
With 9:18 remaining in the first quarter, the Stanford alum Jones posted up a Sparks’ defender, fired a jumper inside the paint, and swished the historic first basket in a Portland Fire home preseason game.
Early mistakes haunted the home team: illegal screens by Jones and rookie Serah Williams burned two possessions, while passes out of bounds by Geiselsöder and Carleton - a lingering issue from Wednesday’s opener - wasted two more scoring opportunities. Portland’s misery extended to the Sparks’ hoop, with the Fire defense collecting six fouls in the game’s first five minutes. When the first quarter concluded, Los Angeles led 19-9 thanks to 9 Portland fouls and 8 Portland turnovers.
The second quarter began with a brief Portland run - second year players Leite and Geiselsöder showed nice chemistry on successive, successful pick & roll plays - but Los Angeles quickly restored their lead to double digits.
The first half featured another strong showing for Leite, who flashed elite handles and quickness during an xx point first half. The French point guard, who played off the bench for the Golden State Valkyries during her rookie season, looks poised for an expanded role on Portland’s expansion team.
Late in the second quarter, the UConn standout Williams, acquired in a draft night trade involving former Oregon Duck Taylor Bigby, faced WNBA superstar Kelsey Plum one-on-one in the paint. Plum swiftly spun free of the Fire’s young defensive stopper - and then drew a foul. However, the moment might teach valuable lessons that can further her burgeoning career.
Sunday’s preseason contest represented a homecoming for Sparks’ center Cameron Brink, who won a pair of state championships at Southridge High School in Beaverton. Despite a warm welcome from the crowd - which included many friends and family in attendance - Brink racked up four fouls in a frustrating first half.
At halftime, the Fire trailed the Sparks 48-32. Kelsey Plum led all scorers with 13 points on 50% field goal shooting and a perfect mark (2/2) beyond the arc. Further, she was flawless from the stripe, swishing all 5 of her free throws.
On the Rose City’s side, rookie Nyadiew Puoch outpaced her teammates with 8 points on 3/3 field goal shooting and 2/2 rate from downtown. Defensive prowess will be a focus in practice for the Tasmanian-born forward, whose offensive production was mitigated by a team low -16 plus/minus in the first half.
After surrendering 12 turnovers in the first half, the Fire’s unfortunate trend continued at the start of the second half, as Leite skied a pass across to the wing to Carleton. Early in the third, Portland’s deficit expanded to twenty.
While errant passes have proven costly this preseason, one mistake spotlighted an inspiring remedy. First, Leite tried to sling a pass across her shoulders to the rookie forward Puoch, but Sparks’ wing Rae Burrell intercepted it. Then, Portland’s impressive young forward made amends for her defensive struggles, hustling back to the ball and deflecting a pass intended for Dearica Hamby.
Late in the third quarter, Maya Caldwell saw her first action in Rose City red. Caldwell, entering her fifth season in the W, had two turnovers during the period. She also hauled in several clutch rebounds.
Through three quarters, Los Angeles led comfortably 72-54.
Portland flashed high energy at the beginning of the final period. First, forward Chloe Bibby swarmed on a Los Angeles guard, forcing a pass out of bounds. Later, Bibby connected with the former UConn post Williams, who shrewdly drew a foul down low. On another possession, Williams showed off her toughness, muscling through several Sparks’ defenders for two contested rebounds. Pouring the figurative icing on the cake, she finished with a putback. With just over seven minutes remaining, Los Angeles called timeout up 72-60.
A minute later, Portland’s run stalled out, swinging momentum decisively in favor of the visitors. When the final buzzer sounded, Los Angeles earned the victory by a 85-75 final score. Sparks’ forward Nneka Ogwumike led all scorers with 17 points on 5/9 shooting, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal. Portland’s highest point tally was 12, earned by both the rookie Puoch - who finished with perfect field goal (4/4) and three point shooting (2/2) percentages - and their backup big Williams. In addition, the Fire’s starting point guard Leite added 11 points. Promisingly, that trio all shot 50% or better tonight.
Now, attention turns to the Fire’s roster projections. Portland’s expansion team has six days to finalize a 12 player roster (with 2 bonus developmental players) before their regular-season opener.
The Portland Fire’s inaugural WNBA season tips-off Saturday night at home against the Chicago Sky.
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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.
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