Denise Ng

Denise Ng (#9) dribbled up the court, scanning the defense. The San Diego Zephyrs were locked in a brutal first half against the Iowa Lightning at their home court, the American Eagle Arena, and the game had already turned into a bruising battle. Coach Valerie Langston, a no-nonsense strategist, had built the Zephyrs around the dominance of Tierra Jackson (#33), their power forward, and Hannah Caldwell (#16), their tenacious center. Denise knew her role—feed the post, space the floor, and pick her moments. But Iowa wasn’t making it easy. Their guards pressed full court, forcing rushed passes, and their center, Morgan Kane (#11), was holding her ground against Hannah in the paint. The defensive pressure was palpable, and every inch of space seemed contested. Midway through the second half, Denise saw an opening. With a burst of speed, she drove inside, weaving past one defender. Just as she prepared to go up for a layup, she was met by a hard body check from Iowa’s Jada Reynolds (#6). The ball slipped from her hands, and as she scrambled to regain control, Jada and Tierra Jackson were already tangled up, shoving for position. The whistle blew, and the crowd erupted in reaction. The court-side official immediately called a foul on Jada Reynolds for the excessive contact. As the players exchanged heated words, the tension in the arena rose. Coach Langston was already on her feet, barking orders from the sideline. “Tierra, get your head in the game,” she shouted. “Stay disciplined and play through the physicality.”