Sunday night in Las Vegas, Aliyah Boston delivered a performance that had the entire territory celebrating as the Indiana Fever stunned the number two-seeded Las Vegas Aces 89-73 in Game 1 of their WNBA semifinal series.
While teammate Kelsey Mitchell grabbed headlines with her 34-point explosion, Boston’s suffocating defense against WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson provided the foundation for the playoff upset. The St. Thomas native held the league’s most dominant player to just 16 points with a 6-of-22 shooting performance.
“Her defense has been crazy good!” Cleone Boston, Aliyah’s mother, said proudly during the game.
Before taking the court at Michelob Ultra Arena, Boston received an inspiring text from her mother: “As you step on the court today, remember that God is writing this team’s story… Play free, play strong, play with joy.”
That strength was evident throughout Boston’s dominant defensive display. She consistently frustrated Wilson with her positioning, length, and basketball IQ, preventing the MVP from getting into any rhythm.
The atmosphere was electric, with Cleone Boston capturing the emotion from the stands as she watched her daughter make playoff history. “My voice was almost gone by the end of the game. It was an unbelievable feeling to witness this win on the road.”
After the final buzzer sounded on Indiana’s historic road victory, Boston’s satisfaction was evident but measured. “Feels great. That was a great start to the series for us, and we have to keep it going,” she said, already focused on maintaining the momentum heading into tonight’s Game 2.
Still in Las Vegas, Boston and the Fever find themselves in an enviable position with a chance to take a commanding 2-0 lead back home to Indianapolis. Watch tonight’s game live on ESPN at 9:30 p.m.
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