Brooklyn, NY—–The New York Liberty have been dominant at home this season, boasting an impressive 8-1 record so far. Recently, they swept the series against the Los Angeles Sparks, culminating in a celebratory Pride Day on Saturday.
In their latest victory over the Sparks (4-13), the New York Liberty (14-3) triumphed 99-88. Breanna Stewart stood out with a stellar performance, leading the team with 33 points, 3 rebounds, and hitting 4 of 9 shots from beyond the arc. She made history in the WNBA by becoming the first player to record over 20 points in a game along with five assists and six blocked shots.
“We were letting them off the hook a little bit,” Stewart said. “Make sure I demanded the ball in the post.”
Sabrina Ionescu also made a significant impact, contributing 24 points, including 4 of 9 from three-point range, along with 6 rebounds and 9 assists. Kayla Thornton added 20 points, crucially stepping up in the second half.
The Liberty trailed 31-23 early in the second quarter before Stewart and the crew took over. Stewart outscored the Sparks 19-13 the rest of the period as the Liberty built a 54-44 lead at the break.
For the Los Angeles Sparks, Dearica Hamby led with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals, while Kia Nurse, formerly of the New York Liberty, scored 12 points, and Zia Cook chipped in with 14 points.
New York was missing Courtney Vandersloot, who has missed seven games to be with her mom who passed away over the weekend. Vandersloot did return to the team Saturday and was warming up before the contest.
“It’s been a tough time for her and her family,” Brondello said. “She’s back in town, but we’re just ramping her up a little bit.
Looking ahead, the Liberty face a demanding schedule with back-to-back games. On Sunday, they will meet the Atlanta Dream on the road, followed by a matchup against the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA 2024 Commissioners Cup at the USB Arena on Tuesday night, both games pivotal for their season.
