Toronto Tempo snap 12-game skid with 82-79 comeback win over Portland

The Toronto Tempo ended a 12-game losing streak Friday, rallying for an 82-79 win over the Portland Fire in Vancouver, The Canadian Press reported.

Isabelle Harrison led Toronto with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Laura Juskaite added 15 points, four assists and seven rebounds for the Tempo, who improved to 11-25. Canadian Bridget Carleton, of Chatham, Ont., scored 18 for Portland, while Megan DiLeo added 14.

The Fire opened a 21-8 first-quarter lead, with Carleton scoring nine points in the game’s first six minutes. Toronto closed the first half on a 9-2 run to pull even at 44-44, then took its first lead on a Juskaite jumper early in the third quarter.

Portland moved back in front 76-75 on an Emily Engstler three-pointer with 6:22 remaining, but Toronto answered again. Harrison made two free throws with 9.8 seconds left to secure the victory before an announced crowd of 12,414.

Toronto out-rebounded Portland 43-41 and is now 7-6 when it wins the rebounding battle. The Tempo, now 2-1 in their Cross Canada series after splitting games at Montreal’s Bell Centre last month, host the Las Vegas Aces in Vancouver on Sunday. Portland hosts the Washington Mystics the same day.

The victory came despite more injuries for Toronto. Guard Brittney Sykes left in the first quarter with a left-foot injury, and forward Aneesah Morrow exited in the second with a left-knee injury. Maria Conde, Nyara Sabally and leading scorer Marina Mabrey were already unavailable.