Sophie Cunningham celebrated her 30th birthday in an unconventional way: she spent part of the day on the court against Atlanta Dream, as Indiana Fever fought for another win of the season.
A birthday that started before the game
Sophie Cunningham had everyone staring at a bar in Indianapolis
Before taking the court, Indiana Fever shared a photo of Cunningham to celebrate the occasion. The player appeared in a shorts and long-sleeve shirt set with blue, red and white lines, white sneakers and socks, with her hair down. It was a comfortable look to start a different kind of birthday, although the most important part of the celebration was still to come.
Sophie CunninghamIG
Once the game began, Cunningham took on a particularly physical role. She spent 32 minutes on the court, recording seven rebounds and one assist. Although she finished with three points, one of her most important moments came as the game entered its final stretch.
Atlanta would not let Indiana close out the game
With the score still tight, Cunningham made a basket and then a free throw that put Indiana ahead 78-77 in the final moments of the fourth quarter. It looked like the Fever could finish the game there, but Atlanta responded and sent the game into overtime.
The tie forced the teams to play five additional minutes, and that was when Indiana finally took control. The Fever outscored Atlanta 14-10 in overtime to secure a 95-91 victory.
Now, having just turned 30, Cunningham will continue with the season and new commitments ahead. Her next game will be Tuesday, August 18, when Indiana Fever visit Toronto Tempo at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto for another WNBA regular-season matchup.