Sabrina Ties Franchise Record With 36 Points
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Andrew Rosario
Jones Double Double Helps NY Sweep Atlanta
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
The Atlanta Dream was in the process of turning the New York Liberty’s game 2 into a nightmare. The Dream was trying to force a game 3 on their home court Thursday night if they were able to come away with a win Tuesday night at Barclays Center. They almost did it as they came out on fire in front of a loud and hostile Liberty crowd.
After the Dream tied the game at 2, Atlanta exploded going on a 25 to 7 run taking a 27-9 lead. Their confidence could not have been higher as they ended the first quarter up 26-19. Said Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello of the slow start, “they started off on fire but I don’t honk we had the right aggressiveness. It was too easy.”
The Liberty stepped up their defense in the second quarter holding the Dream to only 14 points cutting the lead to 5 points at 48-43. Guard Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 14 points while the Liberty were led by guard Sabrina Ionescu 13 points.
The third quarter is when Ionescu and forward Jonquel Jones put the team on their backs. Atlanta hung tough and had a 55-49 lead with 5:59 left in the quarter. The Liberty would go a 16-9 run taking a 1-point lead (65-64) into the final quarter. Ionescu scoring 11 points with Jones chipping in 11.
The fourth quarter was all Ionescu as she scored 12 points, finishing with 36-points, tying a franchise record while connecting on 5 of 11 3-pointers. Jones had a double, double 20 points and 13 rebounds. Said Sabrina of her third quarter performance, “my kind of focus was get downhill, get some easy ones” she said. Jones, who did it on both ends of the floor recognized how important Sabrina’s play opened things up for her. ” She’s drawing a lot of people and just bringing a lot of attention.”
Gray did all she could in the losing effort finishing with 26 points. Her teammate guard Rhyne Howard chipped in 19.
The New York Liberty will now face the #4 Las Vegas Aces the 2-time defending champions who took out the Liberty last year in the WNBA Finals. The series will feature the league’s last two MVP’s in Aces A’ja Wilson and New York’s Breanna Stewart.
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