Tag Archives: liberty

Liberty’s 6th woman rallies to bring a comeback 

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By Bryan R.V.

The New York Liberty were down in the first quarter. Way down. With 1:32 left on the clock, they trailed the Los Angeles Sparks 24-15. L.A. was relentless. When Rae Burall walled off Natasha Cloud from getting into the paint, it seemed like another missed opportunity. But Cloud spun wide and with help from Isabelle Harrison, put up a shot to let it fly. 

Bucket. 

The crowd roared with excitement after witnessing the masterpiece of a play. The sixth woman had arrived. 

Just over 16,000 people were in attendance to watch the Liberty, one of the best teams in the league and the Sparks, one of the worst, at the Barclays Center. Liberty fans cheered for a comeback after L.A. got off to a hot start, looking to extend its four-game win streak. The Sparks dominated early, with Kelsey Plum launching fearless 3s while New York stood paralyzed. Things worsened when Breanna Stewart exited three minutes into the game with a leg injury. At halftime, the Liberty trailed 58-45. All the momentum belonged to the Sparks. 

The response came from the fans.

The Liberty faithful poured their hearts out like their lives were on the line. Ellie the Elephant, New York’s world-famous mascot, put on a performance that could rival Beyoncé. The team picked up speed in the third, scoring 24 points. Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu locked in and made repeated big plays, the fans going ballistic over each highlight. Cloud gave it her all, scoring 22 points and putting on a show after each bucket. Ionescu recorded her 16th 30-point game, a new franchise record. But what sent the fans into absolute madness was a simple free throw. 

With 2:18 left on the clock, Ionescu was rewarded with one shot and the opportunity to tie up the game. Just like Atlas, Ionescu carried the weight of the world to keep the Liberty’s win streak alive. 

Bucket. 95-95.

New York had completed the comeback, and the torch was blazing hot. The jumbotron words jumped on screen, the arena lights tried to give someone an epileptic seizure, the fans rallied to cheer on their favorite team. But with the score tied at 99-99 and the clock ticking toward zero, the Spark’s Rakia Jackson launched a desperate shot over the Liberty’s Stephanie Talbot. Bucket. 

The WNBA Has New Players. We Call Them Officials

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By Selah D.

When fans criticize WNBA officiating, it’s rarely about one bad call — rather, it’s the inconsistency that sparks anger. One night, physicality is ignored; the next, the same play draws a foul. This makes it extremely difficult for players to gauge how far they can push the boundaries. 

As a result of the lack of consistency, every foul can sway the game one way or another. Players, coaches, and fans are increasingly upset that officials are changing the outcome of games instead of the players. 

This season, several conflicts between teams have broken out mid-game due to inactive officiating. Take the Indiana Fever-Connecticut Sun game just before the All-Star break, in which a highly anticipated matchup was derailed by constant physical altercations. Instead of just playing basketball, multiple players were fined or ejected for what was fundamentally a lack of consistent, effective calls made by the officials.

In the press conference following the game, Fever head coach Stephanie White commented on the officiating: “When the officials don’t get control of the ballgame, when they allow that stuff to happen — and it’s been happening all season long — this is what happens. You’ve got competitive women who are the best in the world at what they do and when you allow them to play physical, they’re gonna compete. [The officials have] gotta get control of it, they gotta be better.” 

Not only do the officiating problems create opportunities for conflicts during games, but also may be one cause of injuries that have plagued the WNBA this season. Dangerous plays have become increasingly common. Excessive fouls and over-the-top physicality lead to situations where players are highly subject to injury. This year, Caitlin Clark, Kayla Thornton, Breanna Stewart, and many other prominent players have all missed time while hurt. With concerns related to the health of star players, officials may finally be held accountable. 

Whether it’s Paige Bueckers asking the refs if they need her glasses, Diana Taurasi saying she’ll see them in the lobby, or Sabrina Ionescu daring them to tech her, players are fed up with how the refs are impacting the game. Inconsistent officiating has been a league-wide problem for far too long, and now. With viewership at an all-time high, the issue needs to be addressed now more than ever. Fixing WNBA refereeing will create a better game experience not only for those playing and coaching, but for the fans watching too.

Buzzer Beater Downs NY Liberty 

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By Arianna S.

Stepping into the Barclay’s Center 90 minutes before a game feels ritualistic. The lines are short, the corridors are all but empty, and the promise of what’s to come hums in the air as the first few fans prepare for tipoff.

Slowly, the seafoam green tide rises, flooding every level. New York Liberty jerseys, signs, face paint — suddenly, Barclays is alive. Chants begin in pockets, swelling into unified roars. When player introductions roll across the Jumbotron, each name — Jones, Ionescu, Cloud, Stewart, Fiebich — is met with uproar. The crowd isn’t just watching; it’s performing.

Then the game begins.

When the New York Liberty took on the L.A. Sparks at home on July 26, they came in on a five-game win streak, ready to take on a team they had defeated a few weeks earlier.

Jonquel Jones got the first points on the board for the Liberty early, making the New York faithful believe it’d be a game of triumphant moments. Instead, it was the beginning of a rather dull first quarter, involving bad passes, missed shots, and aggravating calls. The energy on the court was not matching the energy in the stands, especially after Breanna Stewart left the game with a leg injury three minutes before the end of the period.

Even as the Liberty pulled closer in the second half, it felt as though the tone on the court had been set against them, and it never quite lifted. In the end, a last-second desperation shot gave the Sparks the 101-99 victory, and a five-game win streak. 

Though New York came in with momentum, superior talent, and home-court advantage, none of it seemed to matter once the clock started. The chemistry that usually characterizes the reigning champions felt off, and while individual moments sparked the momentum fans expected, the Liberty never fully connected. That one slow quarter turned into a game in which a top-tier never seemed to be able to keep up their typical pace.

Thankfully for the Liberty, the Brooklyn crowd kept it hyped throughout, cheering as if they’d never see these players again. Sometimes, it’s the fans who make nights like these unforgettable.