{"id":294050,"date":"2025-10-11T07:13:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T07:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/294050\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T07:13:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T07:13:13","slug":"phoenix-mercury-coach-nate-tibbetts-ejected-in-game-4-finals-loss-as-wnba-officiating-frustration-grows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/294050\/","title":{"rendered":"Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts ejected in Game 4 finals loss as WNBA officiating frustration grows"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX \u2014 A season that was clouded by complaints about officiating couldn\u2019t escape the criticism in the final game of 2025.<\/p>\n

With 2:41 remaining in the third quarter of Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, officials ejected Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts for a double technical foul. Tibbetts said he never received an explanation as to why he was ejected, and called his ejection \u201cbulls\u2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s embarrassing. I feel bad that I was tossed,\u201d Tibbetts said after the Mercury\u2019s 97-86 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, who claimed the championship with a 4-0 sweep in the best-of-seven series. \u201cI\u2019ve been around this game a long time, I think it\u2019s one of the weakest double technicals ever. I didn\u2019t even know that I got the second one, to be completely honest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel bad for our team, our fans, my family. It wasn\u2019t needed in my opinion. I\u2019d love to hear their call. But yeah, it was weak. We\u2019re playing for our playoff lives. Most coaches, when they get tossed, you\u2019re doing it on purpose, and that was not my intention at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected from WNBA Finals Game 4 after this interaction with the ref. pic.twitter.com\/5h1ZSeDUJr<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN (@espn) October 11, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Friday marked the second consecutive game that Tibbetts was assessed at least one technical, but it was his first ejection of the postseason and first of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been issues with the officiating all year,\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cI feel like I didn\u2019t deserve that. I thought it was bulls\u2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the Mercury\u2019s Kahleah Copper didn\u2019t draw a foul on a drive to the basket \u2014 when it appeared that Dana Evans had reached on her \u2014 Tibbetts clapped in referee Gina Cross\u2019 direction. On the ensuing possession, Monique Akoa Makani was pressuring Evans as she brought the ball up and was whistled for a foul. Tibbetts approached Cross and yelled at her, pointing to the other end of the floor, presumably in reference to the Copper play. He was thrown out of the game for a double technical foul.<\/p>\n

Tibbetts looked confused by the ejection and didn\u2019t leave the court immediately, appearing to ask another official, Tim Greene, what happened.<\/p>\n

Tibbetts said he did not receive an explanation from any of the game\u2019s three officials upon his ejection. And while the coach did not explicitly share what he said on the court, he admitted that whatever he said deserved a first technical foul.<\/p>\n

After the game, referee Roy Gulbeyan explained what triggered Tibbetts\u2019 technical fouls. Gulbeyan said officials assessed the first technical foul when \u201cTibbetts came onto the floor and yelled, \u2018That\u2019s f\u2014 terrible,’\u201d after the foul was called on Makani, according to the WNBA pool report.<\/p>\n

Gulbeyan said Tibbetts then \u201cstepped in closer aggressively to the calling official and again yelled, \u2018That\u2019s f\u2014 terrible,\u201d prompting officials to call a second technical foul and eject him.<\/p>\n

The Aces shot 35 free throws in Game 4, with their star, A\u2019ja Wilson, attempting as many free throws (19) as the entire Mercury team.<\/p>\n

Phoenix\u2019s frustration with the referees did not subside after Tibbetts\u2019 ejection. DeWanna Bonner earned a technical foul with six minutes remaining for complaining after a no-call on a second-chance attempt. With less than two minutes to go, Copper was called for her sixth foul and let Gulbeyan know her displeasure, resulting in a technical foul along with her disqualification.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that you get to this stage and you don\u2019t have (consistent officiating),\u201d Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said. \u201cI think that\u2019s the main message everyone has been saying all year long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the season, players, coaches and executives around the WNBA have criticized the league\u2019s officiating. Team stakeholders have specifically voiced frustrations with how the WNBA\u2019s freedom of movement rules are enforced and about what they see as inconsistent calls.<\/p>\n

Earlier this postseason, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was fined $15,000<\/a> for both her conduct and comments in the final 30 seconds and immediate aftermath of Minnesota\u2019s Game 3 semifinal loss to Phoenix. Reeve called for a change at the leadership level when it comes to officiating and said that the game\u2019s crew was \u201cf\u2014ing malpractice.\u201d Aces coach Becky Hammon voiced a similar complaint as did Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White.<\/p>\n

Ahead of Game 1 of the finals, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that it was \u201cpretty clear that we\u2019re misaligned currently on what our stakeholders want from officiating.\u201d As part of her comments, she also announced a multi-stakeholder task force to \u201censure that our officiating platform evolves in step with the growth of the league.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tibbetts said he would like to see more consistent officiating in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s change in this league,\u201d he said. \u201cThe product is continuing to get better. There\u2019s more eyes on it, and I think the officiating has to grow with the league.\u201d<\/p>\n