5’7 Guard’s Tough Challenge on 6’7 Center Leaves Referees Shell-Bound and Fans Confused

In a thrilling WNBA match between the Dallas Wings and the Chicago Sky, a dramatic incident happened that left everyone in the arena stunned. Marina Mabrey, standing at 5’10”, made a powerful screen on the towering 6’7″ Tierra McCowan. 

It resulted in a collision as both the players felt the impact. They were shaken up as the referees called it a timeout to review the play.  

The collision shook the entire court

As the game between the Wings and the Sky progressed, Marina Mabrey found herself in a pivotal defense position. As Dallas was trying to make the move, with the ball, Mabrey executed a Spain screen. A move where she attempted to back-screen the defender of the ball screener. However, the execution of this play proved to be more challenging than anticipated.

This move involves setting a blind screen on the defender responsible for guarding against ball screens. It requires precise timing and coordination, but can catch opponents off guard if successful. Here, however, things didn’t go well.

Mabrey’s blind screen caught McCowan completely off guard due to her height advantage over Mabrey. The impact was so forceful that it sent McCowan crashing to the ground while clutching her head in pain. Concerns immediately arose about possible concussion symptoms stemming not only from direct contact but also from whiplash motion.

Referees review the contact

Immediately, McCowan received medical attention from the team trainers. The referees huddled together to review the play. The primary concern was determining whether the collision was a result of a legal or illegal screen. A legal screen allows the defender a step to adjust, while an illegal screen can lead to potential injuries.

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The big screen in the arena displayed the replay, causing a collective cringe from the crowd as they witnessed the intensity of the collision.

After a thorough review, the referees concluded that Mabrey’s screen was a common foul rather than a flagrant foul. This decision meant that Mabrey would be charged with her third personal foul, forcing her to take a seat on the bench.

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Finally, the sky won over the wings by 96-104. Marina Mabrey scored a team-high 31 points.