Mercury, Fever players get into heated skirmish during game

Brittney Griner also had a technical foul earlier in the game

Phoenix Mercury star Natasha Cloud and Indiana Fever center Temi Fagbenle had to be separated from each other during their game on Sunday afternoon.

With about 4:48 left in the second quarter, Fagbenle was fouled while trying to go up for a shot. After the whistle blew, she tried to just finish the play by putting the ball back into the basket. 

Fagbenle’s teammate Erika Wheeler, and Cloud's teammate Sophie Cunningham, then tried to clear their teammates out to try to get everyone to huddle up.

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Temi Fagbenle at the free-throw line

Temi Fagbenle of the Indiana Fever shoots a free throw during the game against the Mercury on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)

Natasha Cloud

Natasha Cloud of the Mercury during the game against the Indiana Fever on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

Players from both teams huddled up a little too close and began to yell at each other.

Cloud and Fagbenle got into each other’s faces and personnel from both teams came onto the court to separate them.

WNBA referees assessed technical fouls on four players – Mercury players Cloud and Kahleah Copper and Fever players Fagbenle and Wheeler.

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It wasn’t the only instance of hard play during the game.

Mercury center Brittney Griner was hit with a technical foul over an incident with Fever star Aliyah Boston. Fever forward NaLyssa Smith was called for a flagrant-1 foul after an errant elbow to Diana Taurasi’s midsection with 45.8 seconds remaining in the half.

Temi Fagbenle fouled

Temi Fagbenle of the Indiana Fever drives to the basket against the Mercury on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

Phoenix took a 49-38 lead into halftime. Griner and Taurasi led all scorers with 13 points each.

Boston led Indiana with 10 points.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Authored by Ryan Gaydos via FoxNews June 30th 2024