Three days may have passed since the injury-plagued Valkyries lost to the Mercury in the Bay Area, but a controversial foul still a topic of conversation as the scene shifted to Phoenix for the rematch.

Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts responded to criticism directed at one of his players by Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase.

“I don’t think Mo is a dirty player at all,” Tibbetts said. “I mean, she’s probably one of the sweetest girls we’ve got on our team.”

He later added, “I’m not too worried about what Natalie says over there.”

At the 6:13 mark of the fourth quarter, rookie Monique Akoa Makani was called for a tripping foul as she attempted to stop Valkyries’ guard Veronica Burton from driving to the rim. It was deemed a common foul by the officials, a decision that drew the ire of Nakase, w

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