Indiana Professional Athletes

Indiana alumni had a week to watch in the WNBA, with Shay Ciezki stealing the headlines in Phoenix and Mackenzie Holmes suiting up in Seattle.

Ciezki Turns Heads in Portland

The Hoosiers don't produce many players who go off for career nights in their rookie season — but Shay Ciezki is rewriting that script.

The former Indiana guard came off the bench Thursday and poured in 22 points to power the Phoenix Mercury past the Portland Fire, 94-91, in the teams' first game back from the FIBA World Cup break. Ciezki added three assists and two steals in the win, which required a fourth-quarter rally to seal. It was the kind of performance that shifts perceptions — a rookie, off the bench, carrying a comeback on the road.

Ciezki's numbers didn't sustain into Saturday: she managed just four points, three rebounds, and an assist in a 82-87 loss to Dallas. But one-game dips don't erase what happened at Moda Center. The 22-point outing stands alone on her résumé, and the Mercury clearly trust her enough in crunch situations to let her build on it.

Holmes Quiet in Seattle's Rout

Mackenzie Holmes had a forgettable Friday. The former Indiana big posted just four points and two rebounds as the Seattle Storm were throttled by Las Vegas, 77-114. Holmes finished at -14 in plus/minus — a reflection of the night's broader collapse more than her individual effort, but not a box score she'll frame. No additional games on her ledger for the week.

Bottom Line

The story of Indiana's WNBA week belongs to Ciezki. A 22-point career-high off the bench in a road comeback win is the kind of moment that gets replayed in offseason highlight packages. Grace Berger had no logged games for Dallas in the period. For Hoosier fans tracking the pipeline, Ciezki is the name to watch heading into the final stretch of the WNBA season.

Shay Ciezki is making a case as one of the most well-rounded guards in the WNBA, and Sunday night in Phoenix was Exhibit A.

The Indiana alumna turned in an eye-catching all-around performance — 15 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal — as the Mercury demolished the Toronto Tempo 101-69. Her +13 plus/minus reflected just how thoroughly Phoenix controlled the game, with six players reaching double digits. Ciezki shared the team scoring lead with Noemie Brochart, who also put up 15 in what amounted to a wire-to-wire dismantling of the expansion Tempo.

It wasn't one flashy stat that stood out — it was the completeness of the line. Five assists without a turnover on the sheet, two blocks from a guard, and a double-digit scoring effort in a game Phoenix never needed to force anything. That kind of efficiency in a blowout, when stars tend to sit early and backups pad stats, actually undersells the impact Ciezki made in her minutes.

For Hoosiers fans tracking her trajectory, this is the kind of game that signals genuine WNBA staying power — not just a player filling a roster spot, but one dictating the tempo of a dominant performance.

Elsewhere for Indiana Alumni

Mackenzie Holmes had a quieter night in Seattle. The Storm fell to the Los Angeles Sparks 90-74, with Holmes contributing 3 points and 2 rebounds in limited impact. Her +4 on the night was a silver lining in an otherwise difficult team result.

Grace Berger and the Dallas Wings did not have a game tracked during this period.

The week belonged to Ciezki. For a program that has produced WNBA talent at a steady clip, watching a Hoosier anchor a six-player scoring effort in a 32-point blowout is exactly the kind of professional validation Indiana fans come to FanDaily to find.

Shay Ciezki Flips the Script

Indiana alum Shay Ciezki had a week worth remembering — and one outing worth forgetting.

After a tough Friday night in the Mercury's 73-80 loss to the Mystics, where Ciezki posted just 7 points, 1 assist, and a -18 plus/minus, the former Hoosier came back two days later and looked like a completely different player. Against the Toronto Tempo on Sunday, Ciezki dropped 15 points, dished 5 assists, pulled down 5 rebounds, and swatted 2 blocks in Phoenix's dominant 101-69 dismantling — finishing a crisp +13 on the night.

She shared the team scoring lead with Noemie Brochart, as six Mercury players hit double figures in what amounted to a statement performance from Phoenix. The Tempo never had a chance, and Ciezki was central to why — setting the tone on both ends of the floor with the kind of well-rounded line that had Indiana fans nodding along.

The Friday-to-Sunday turnaround is notable not just for the stat sheet, but for the mental resilience it signals. A -18 night is the kind of outing that can linger. Ciezki didn't let it.

Holmes Quietly Contributing in Seattle

Out in Seattle, Mackenzie Holmes has been earning her minutes in a quieter register. The former Hoosier big went scoreless in the Storm's 90-78 win over Toronto on Thursday — a result that didn't show up in the box score — then chipped in 3 points and 2 rebounds in a 74-90 loss to the Sparks on Sunday, finishing +4 in that one.

Holmes hasn't broken through as a featured contributor yet, but her plus/minus in the Sparks game suggests she's holding her own when on the floor. For a player still carving out a role at the WNBA level, that matters.

Berger Watch

Grace Berger, the Dallas Wings guard and the most decorated of Indiana's WNBA alumni, did not appear in the source reporting for this period. Her week remains unaccounted for in this roundup.

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The week's headline is Ciezki's. A one-game redemption arc against Toronto won't define a season, but it's a reminder that the Mercury have a player in their rotation who can go for 15-5-5 with two blocks on any given night. For Indiana fans watching their alums navigate a long WNBA season, that's a storyline worth tracking as Phoenix heads toward the stretch run.