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It is fitting that the first WNBA title in the 28-year history of the New York Liberty franchise would have incredible drama attached to it. The Liberty got every break possible to finally get past the determined Minnesota Lynx, 67-62, in overtime before a delirious sellout crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
New York Liberty Center and Most Valuable Player Jonquel Jones takes a free throw. PHOTO: JOHN MCCLELLAN
The Lynx played a beautiful first half of basketball at both ends of the floor and led 34-27 at intermission, as the Liberty seemed to be a step behind the Lynx throughout the first half. But one half does not make a basketball game and, in this case, a championship season.
The Liberty, facing a woeful history of failure in five previous WNBA Finals, came storming back in the third quarter behind the heroic performance of Finals Most Valuable Player Jonquel Jones, who had 17 points, six rebounds and averaged 17 plus points and seven plus rebounds a game for the Finals series; Nyara Sabally, who had 13 spectacular points after coming into the game averaging 2.8 points; and rookie sensation Leonie Fiebich, who scored 13 huge points and had seven rebounds and brilliant all-around play.
Headline stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu had horrific shooting nights. Ionescu went 1-for-19 from the floor. It was Jones, Sabally, Fiebich and the collective bench strength of the Liberty that helped them finally climb to the top of the WNBA Championship Mountain.
Lynx guard Courtney Williams takes a jumper over Leonie Fiebich. PHOTO: JOHN MCCLELLAN
Taking a one-point lead into the final 10 minutes of regulation play, the Liberty and Lynx staged an epic see-saw battle with neither team able to take control of the game.
Napheesa Collier had a game-high 22 points, seven rebounds, and two blocked shots along with stellar defense, which helped to limit Stewart to 4-of-15 shooting; and Kayla McBride, who had 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals, led a well-balanced Lynx squad that refused to quit, despite critical officiating calls that went against them.
The most difficult one came with the Lynx holding a 60-58 lead with 6.3 seconds left in regulation. Breanna Stewart clearly traveled. Video replay shows her taking multiple steps before jumping into Alanna Smith of the Lynx. She was rewarded with two foul shots that she should not have received. After missing two earlier crunch-time free throws, she was able to sink the gift-free throws to tie the game, 60-60, with 5.2 seconds left in regulation.
Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich of the Liberty. PHOTO: JOHN MCCLELLAN
The Lynx had their last chance at victory when Kayla McBride missed an open three-point shot off a well-executed inbounds play. Liberty took the lead for good on a three-point basket by Fiebich off the opening tip of overtime and held on for the historic win.
This WNBA Championship Final series marks a watershed moment for the league and women’s professional basketball as a whole. It was a series that produced multiple overtime games, including thrilling moments that kept all basketball fans on the edge of their collective seats. The growth of the WNBA is skyrocketing, with this Championship Final series closing out a sensational year at the box office.
Much credit must be given to the young rookie class of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, who had brilliant moments before a season-ending injury, along with the star-studded performances of WNBA Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson, the first unanimous MVP selection in league history, and others, whose brand of team basketball, i.e., ball and body movement, etc., is a thing of beauty and a joy to watch. The Players in the NBA could and should take lessons from the women of the “W” on how to play this great game. Gentleman, this is the way the game was meant to be played. Take a lesson from the Ladies of the WNBA.
Congratulations to the New York Liberty, the 2024 WNBA Champions, the first New York professional basketball team to win a championship since the 1976 New York Nets.
