May 24, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud (9) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Natasha Cloud Explains How She Stopped Caitlin Clark at End of Fever-Liberty Game

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated May 25, 2025 1:16 PM ET

The final possession of the New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever did not come without controversy.

Fever star guard Caitlin Clark received the inbound pass at around the three-point line with about three seconds left, with the Liberty winning 90-88. She took one dribble, then went up for a shot. However, the shot never got off because the ball was wrenched away by Natasha Cloud, thus solidifying the Liberty's win.

Cloud locks up Clark on the final play pic.twitter.com/0b6Wqdjxfp
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 24, 2025

On initial viewing, it looked like Cloud might have fouled Clark on the play, which went uncalled. Clark certainly reacted as if she was fouled, and Fever head coach Stephanie White berated the game's referees when speaking with the media after the game, asserting that she thought Clark was fouled on the play.

Regardless, the bottom line is that no foul was called. And Cloud explained what went into stopping Clark in that fateful final possession in a May 24 Instagram post from the Liberty.

"I knew they [were] obviously gonna go to Caitlin. I knew that it was gonna be, 'you gotta get your big dog pants on right now,'" Cloud said while flexing. "So the way that they set up, I knew that she was gonna set a cross screen. I knew that Coach White was hoping that I bumped on that cross screen to allow her to get open on the down screen.

"I knew my help was on the backside, so I didn't bump, I stop-locked her, so she couldn't come off so easily," Cloud continued. "I knew she was gonna go left, so as soon as she brought that ball up, I just poked it out."