High Post Hoops
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The joyful breakthrough: behind the scenes after Indiana’s first win

By Rachel Galligan

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JUNE 16: Victoria Vivians #35 of the Indiana Fever speaks with the media after the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 16, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JUNE 16: Victoria Vivians #35 of the Indiana Fever speaks with the media after the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 16, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS— Walking back to the Indiana Fever locker room Saturday night after Indiana’s first win of the season, the halls reverberated with joking and laughter.

High fives were plentiful, too: seemingly from every player, coach, support staff and event personnel in the building. Indiana legend Tamika Catchings, unsurprisingly, was not immune from this outbreak of joy.

She was staring down, walking past the locker room she once called her own. She was smiling and I couldn’t help but wonder what she must be thinking. For one of the greatest of all time, for all she had poured into that franchise, in that moment, under those circumstances, what was she feeling?

On a hot and humid Saturday night in Indianapolis, after an 0-10 start, the young Fever team finally got their first win—and in dominant fashion. At half time, the Dream led the Fever 38-35, but a 16-3 run to start the third quarter foreshadowed a second-half performance and a lopsided 96-64 victory.

With a team that has undergone change, being rebuilt around young talent, it was only fitting that a pair of rookies led the way in the win. Victoria Vivians went off for 21 points, shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the three-point line. Kelsey Mitchell finished with 19 point and went 3-for-8 from behind the arc.

The 61 points scored after halftime were the most points ever scored by a Fever team in a second half. The 32-point margin is Indiana’s largest margin of victory since a 2016 win over the New York Liberty.

“The energy is crazy right now, and we needed this,” a still-charged Erica Wheeler, standing in front of her locker, said following the game. “There were a couple of games that we played and we felt like we were there and we didn’t get over the hump. Today we got over the hump.”

Although the offense stood out, don’t lose sight of their defensive breakout as well. Prior to the game, the Fever were giving up an average of 83.5 points per game to opponents. The 64 points given to the Dream were the fewest they have allowed an opponent all season and nearly 10 points below Atlanta’s average.

“It was a concerted effort from many people,” head coach Pokey Chatman said following the game. “Obviously the numbers that Victoria Vivians put up on offense is going to show, but also her defense on Angel McCoughtry, making her uncomfortable and not letting her take over. When you give a rookie the assignment of a gold-medal winner, they want to respond. That fueled her.”

An 0-10 start is not easy, especially in an organization that made the playoffs 12 straight seasons, from 2005-2016. Chatman noted, however, that the process remained strong even as the results lagged.

“I feel an excitement for the players who have continued to put in work despite the losing. If you would have walked into a practice, you wouldn’t have known, and I respect that and I am happy for them,” Chatman told High Post Hoops.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JUNE 16: Erica Wheeler #17 of the Indiana Fever reacts to winning the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 16, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JUNE 16: Erica Wheeler #17 of the Indiana Fever reacts to winning the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 16, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Wheeler said that legacy, the Catchings tenacity, helped fill in the energy teams normally feed off of from victories. “That’s the franchise,” she said. “If you look up Indiana Fever, you always have teams of dogs. Everybody fights. And that’s what we’ve got. We look forward to just keep bringing that energy and getting some more wins.”

The outcome showed the potential many knew was there, but it had simply not come together yet. Saturday night in Indianapolis, the different aspects of the game clicked.

“The difference today was we married the defense with really good offense, from different players at different times and different aspects of the game,” said Chatman. “It was a great effort. We addressed some things at halftime, it was all about emotions, heart, having the courage to do things over a long periods of time and they responded.”

Now at 1-10,  there is still plenty of work to do and certainly many more hurdles to overcome. Time will tell what the season-long potential could be moving forward. But one thing is for certain, this Fever team believes they can, they will continue to bring that fight and energy despite any outcome. They have proven that. And I’m guessing that explains a lot of what Tamika Catchings was smiling about.

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