Fever vet’s strong reaction after Stephanie White’s Caitlin Clark decision

The Indiana Fever dominated the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday despite the absence of two-time WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark.

The Fever turned in a concerted effort against L.A., resulting in a dominant 111-87 home victory.

Clark watched from the sidelines as she nursed a back injury. The former WNBA Rookie of the Year was ruled out for the game after tweaking her back on Wednesday against the Phoenix Mercury. At this point, the Fever have not confirmed when she will be able to return from her injury.

Starting in Clark’s place against the Sparks was veteran guard Tyasha Harris. Head coach Stephanie White turned to the 28-year-old to fill in for Clark, and it turned out to be an excellent decision.

Indiana Fever guard Tyasha Harris reacts to spot start

Saturday’s game marked Harris’ second start of the season. It resulted in her best performance in a Fever uniform. The 5-foot-10 guard joined the team in the offseason via free agency.

Harris went off for 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting. She added five rebounds, three assists and two triples in 30 minutes of action. The former South Carolina standout sent a strong message after White’s decision to give her the start in Clark’s place.

“It meant everything to me,” Harris said. “I’m coming off an injury from last year, I wanted to be on the floor and contribute to the team in any way that I can. My number was called today, and it went well for me, so it meant everything.”

Harris played just five games last season with the Dallas Wings due to injury. She’s back to full strength this year, having already played 14 games for the Fever.

“The team does a great job of keeping me locked in,” Harris continued. “I do extra work outside of when I don’t play. You know, it’s just being a pro at the end of the day. … You’ve got to control what you can control. So my number was called today, and I was ready to go out there.

“It doesn’t change anything. I put in the work outside practice, in practice, just being ready for whenever my number’s called.”

Coach White heaped praise on Harris postgame. The Fever bench boss highlighted the veteran’s professionalism despite her limited playing time.

“It says a lot about her as a human being, number one,” White said. “And a competitor, but it also says a lot about our team. We can trust her in those situations.”

Harris is currently averaging 2.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 12.0 minutes per game. However, if Clark is forced to miss more time, Harris could see more opportunities come her way in the interim.

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