After losing five finals, New York Liberty finally takes its first WNBA title

This article was last updated on October 21, 2024

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After losing five finals, New York Liberty finally takes its first WNBA title

The New York Liberty basketball players are WNBA champions after an overtime victory in the decisive fifth game against the Minnesota Lynx. It is the first title for the team from Brooklyn, which lost in five previous participations in the WNBA Finals.

Liberty was also the best team in the American professional league for women in the regular season. The Lynx finished second in the rankings and followed Liberty to the finals.

The teams proved to be extremely evenly matched and the score was 2-2 after four matches. The decision came in overtime (extension) of the fifth game. After 60-60 in regular time, Liberty won the championship: 67-62.

Jones MVP

“I could never have dreamed of this,” said Jonquel Jones, who scored seventeen points in the decisive fifth game and was named the Finals’ most valuable player (MVP). “It’s the biggest moment, this is what it was all about: us winning together because we really love each other.”

Teammate Breanna Stewart fought back tears in the discharge after the match. With two accurate free throws in the final seconds, she was responsible for Liberty going into extra time. “This is something special, I’m trying not to cry,” said Stewart, who finished with 13 points, 15 rebounds and four assists despite many missed shots.

“We had some ups and downs. This series was difficult, but we fought through because we wanted to take home the title in front of this city and this crowd.” Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu complete a special year with the WNBA title and Olympic gold.

Lynx coach feels robbed

Coach Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx found it difficult to swallow her team’s defeat. Reeve was furious about what she considered an unfairly punished block, after which Stewart leveled the score with free throws.

“It’s a shame that arbitration had such a hand in this series,” said the four-time WNBA coach of the year and US women’s national coach. “I know all the headlines are going to be ‘Reeve shouldn’t cry’. Bring it on. Because this was stolen from us. Bring it on.”