Colts’ Shane Steichen praises Fever after dramatic WNBA playoff victory

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It took a decade, however the Indiana Fever lastly celebrated a WNBA playoff series victory. The injury-depleted workforce upset the Atlanta Dream within the first spherical, successful Recreation 3 on Thursday in dramatic trend.

After avoiding elimination by successful Recreation 2, Indiana's fourth-quarter heroics resulted in a surprising 87-85 upset. Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen took discover of the Fever's outstanding playoff run and supplied his reward.

"Shoutout to the Fever and Coach White for getting it performed final evening and transferring on. Clearly, they've handled some adversity, with some accidents, and it is the subsequent particular person up for them. So it has been enjoyable and [I] want all of them one of the best of luck within the subsequent spherical for positive," Steichen stated throughout his media availability on Friday.

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Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen walks the sphere earlier than an NFL soccer sport in opposition to the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photograph/Darron Cummings)

"I assumed it was superior to discover a approach to win there, it exhibits simply the grittiness, the toughness, the resilience that they are taking part in with proper now. You'll be able to see they're all taking part in collectively. So, it is thrilling for them, it is thrilling for the town."

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Fever star Sophie Cunningham reacted to Steichen's feedback. "wait that is so cool! love you're reppin’ the Fever Girlies coach," she wrote on X.

In the meantime, Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell praised her head coach Stephanie White after Indiana superior to the semifinals.

"I’ve had so many coaches in eight years, I’ve been on the worst report groups within the Indiana Fever (historical past), so I do know the place my profession began at," Mitchell stated after the sixth-seeded Fever rallied within the last minute to beat the third-seeded Dream 87-85 in a decisive Recreation 3. "I do know what I’ve needed to undergo to type of be on this place, and I’ve by no means had a coach that poured into me respectfully, like Steph has. I’ve by no means felt that as a professional."

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White on the sideline throughout Recreation 2 of a WNBA first spherical playoff matchup between the Fever and the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Dream completed the common season with 30 wins, essentially the most within the Japanese Convention. Atlanta entered the playoffs as one of many favorites to make it to the WNBA Finals.

Regardless of being short-handed all through a lot of the yr as a consequence of accidents, the Fever gained the WNBA Commissioner's Cup and completed with 24 wins.

5 gamers who began the 2025 season on the Fever's roster have been misplaced to season-ending accidents. To make issues worse, these setbacks occurred inside a two-month window.

In early September, Caitlin Clark introduced she had been dominated out for the remainder of the season. Clark has been sidelined since July 15, when she suffered a groin harm in a sport in opposition to the Connecticut Solar.

Indiana Fever gamers react after defeating the Atlanta Dream throughout Recreation 3 within the first spherical of the WNBA Playoffs at Gateway Middle Enviornment, Thursday, in Atlanta. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Photographs)

"I spent hours within the gymnasium day-after-day with the singular purpose of getting again on the market, disenchanted is not a sufficiently big phrase to explain how I'm feeling," the purpose guard wrote on X on Sept. 4.

Fellow Fever guards Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald every went down with their very own important accidents throughout a matchup with the Phoenix Mercury final month. Colson suffered a torn ACL, whereas McDonald was recognized with a damaged foot.