The New York Liberty appeared to come out extremely strong, however the adjustments made by the Washington Mystics proved to be pivotal as the game progressed. One of the most surprising performances of the night came from former MVP, Jonquel Jones, showcasing her dominance and securing 25 points and eight rebounds. Throughout the first half, the Liberty displayed their dominance and wanted to establish a presence in the paint. The Mystics gave up 12 points to Jones in the opening quarter, accompanied by Liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu with 15 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.
“Tonight, wasn’t a pretty game, but I thought Washington threw a lot at us and we found some rhythm but struggled to maintain momentum due to turnovers,” Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello. “I just hope we play with a little bit more poise.”
Positives from New York Liberty
Brondello discusses that there were moments throughout the game when the rhythm appeared to be not in sync. Yet, they were still able to manage to find strides throughout tough droughts. The star power and immense talent on the team were able to overcome the inefficiencies and inconsistencies of offense. Another positive is veteran guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton managed to step up in the clutch when the team needed some timely buckets. In the past, she’s proven to be a bonafide closer, however she displayed she still has it and can be called upon in big moments. Despite the bench combining for a net of less than ten points, they brought energy and helped affect the game defensively rather than offensively. These are some positives to build on moving forward for the Liberty as they begin to progress through their long season.
The Mystics leading scorer was Ariel Atkins led Washington with 20 points. Sykes had 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Shakira Austin added 13 points. Aaliyah Edwards, the No. 6 pick in the WNBA draft out of UConn, scored six points in 14 minutes.