The Dallas Wings put an end to Sabrina Ionescu’s highly anticipated season debut on Sunday, marking their second consecutive defeat against New York with a score of 91-76.
Ionescu started off strong in the game.
Sato Sabally, who was making her second appearance of the season after dealing with a cyst, seemed to find her rhythm as well.
The two, former college teammates at Oregon, had good chemistry on the court.
Sabally led the team with 20 points, shooting 6-of-14.
Ionescu made four of her first eight shots, including a 29-foot three-pointer but struggled later, missing her last seven attempts.
She ended the game with 11 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while recording just one turnover.
“I feel good,” Ionescu mentioned following the game.
However, the spotlight shone brighter on what Dallas accomplished.
In the first half, Arike Ogunbowale was key.
In the latter half, Azzi Fuad took over.
Paige Bueckers provided consistent support for the Wings throughout.
Eventually, the Wings took advantage of the Liberty’s weak spots.
Notably absent were Leonie Fievich (rest) and Bethniya Rainey Hamilton (personal reasons).
Although the Liberty managed to guard the paint well, they struggled to keep pace with the Wings’ skilled guards due to the absence of their top perimeter defenders.
Fuad recorded a career-high 24 points, with 17 coming in the third quarter. Ogunbowale added 19 points for the Wings.
The Wings hit 15 of 35 three-point shots, notably making 9 of 18 in the second half, while the Liberty only managed 8 of 26 attempts.
“Once they began hitting from deep, the game really opened up for them,” Jonquel Jones remarked. “We need to find ways to adapt.”
This season, the Liberty’s defense has faced challenges.
Some of it can be attributed to miscommunication.
Poor closeouts and trouble securing rebounds have also played a part.
Consequently, the Liberty have allowed 90 or more points in three of their last five games.
Dallas turned a slim halftime lead into a 10-point advantage in the fourth quarter.
The Liberty couldn’t generate enough momentum to claw their way back.
“We need to approach the game with more urgency,” coach Chris DeMarco said. “While we started strong defensively, adversity hit. When they hit two consecutive shots, do we rise to the challenge? We know that’s a part of the game.”
“They took some good shots tonight. We must improve our transition play and ensure we’re making the right offensive choices. But, we’ll be right there next game—another chance tomorrow.”
The Liberty continue to navigate the growing pains of a new head coach and system.
They haven’t yet showcased their best performance.
Raquel Carrera and Fievich joined the team only a few days prior after winning the Spanish league title, so it’s to be expected that it takes time to gel.
This process is a bit of a winding road.
“There are good days and bad days,” Jones acknowledged.
“That’s not an excuse, just a reality. But as a core group, we need to connect further and be more assertive in executing our strategy. Offensively, it looks too easy for opponents, and we can’t let that be our identity.”
What can the team do immediately?
“The simplest fix? Stop giving up 90 points per game,” said Brianna Stewart. “We need to make it tougher for opponents. When we’re on our defensive game but still allowing offensive rebounds, it can disrupt our focus on offense.”
Liberty is quickly trying to improve as they prepare for the Portland Fire on Monday.
“We need to execute better and complete our plays,” Stewart added. “We know our strengths, yet we’re lacking some intensity. Fortunately, with losses like this, bouncing back quickly can be beneficial, even if consecutive games are challenging.”
