Fever’s Sophie Cunningham trash talk to Fire’s Emily Engstler is apparently unspeakable originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Sophie Cunningham and Emily Engstler got into it on the court on Saturday night.
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Cunningham earned a technical foul for a push of Engstler, and the Portland Fire forward got a tech of her own for taunting back to the Indiana Fever wing.
In the end, it was two intense players standing their ground.
Afterward, Engstler didn’t mince words.
“I don’t think you want to know what was said,” Engstler began to reporters.
“Putting it in words, I can say… No one scares me,” Engstler continued, “and she sure doesn’t.”
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Engstler then explained exactly why she was upset.
“It’s basketball at the end of the day, but I won’t let anybody talk to me a certain way,” she said. “Or hit me.”
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Engstler and the expansion Fire got the last laugh.
She went for a remarkable 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-3 3FG), 10 rebounds and 4 assists. It’s one of the best games of her WNBA career.
The Fever, meanwhile, got just six points from Caitlin Clark in a 16-point loss.
Cunningham actually did her part with 15 points off the bench, but that was one of the only bright spots.
Engstler and the Fire had just lost the night before to Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream, but this was a massive bounceback.
Expansion teams often feature talented players who haven’t quite gotten the right opportunity yet. When it comes together well, it can work nicely.
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Right now, that’s exactly what’s happening for Engstler and the rest of the Fire.
