Mist picked up their first defeat of this season on a special day for Allisha Gray, but she needs to hold her chin up, remembering her own motivational remarks.

Gray and her team fought a tough battle till the very end of their January 12 match against Phantom. However, they couldn't enjoy the last laugh as the Phantom and WNBA star, Kelsey Plum, hooped a 3-point buzzer beater to defeat them 64-61.

While such close losses can often be heartbreaking, the fact that it happened on Gray's birthday (January 12) makes it even more saddening. In such a situation, Gray's confident words can significantly help her recover from the setback.

During an in-court interview with Ros Gold-Onwude after Mist's first victory this season, the 31-year-old said, "I’m thinking, be a bucket. In my mind, I don’t think anybody can guard me, so I’m not going to get exposed. The biggest thing is I know I’m a bucket, so be a bucket.”

Onwude posted her interview on X on her birthday.

Gray's numbers speak volumes about her importance in the Mist lineup. She’s leading the team with 21.7 points per game. Not just that, she’s also averaging 5.3 rebounds and four assists per game, making her extremely hard to guard.

Over the last three games, she’s scored 21, 28, and 16 points, respectively. Even when Breanna Stewart went 0–10 from three, Allisha shot 7–18.

But while having someone like Gary on the team is undoubtedly a strength, Mist's head coach, Zack O'Brien, will also have to go back to the drawing board for better results in the next match.

Zack O’Brien didn't keep Allisha Gray in the second match's starting lineup

While Mist players surely deserve credit for defeating Laces in their second match of the season, Coach O'Brien's effective strategy also played a crucial role in securing the victory.

O'Brien altered Mist's starting lineup by inserting Smith and Ogunbowale in place of Gray and Burton. However, he returned to plan A for the second half with the same trio of Stewie, Gray, and Burton. Their victory in the match proved O'Brien's caliber to a large extent, while also showcasing Mist's enviable bench strength.

With such stalwarts in the side, it can be safely said that Mist has the potential to return to the winning column. They play the Lunar Owls next on January 17.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy