On Sunday, Breanna Stewart had Alisha Gray cornered near the sideline, thanks to her impressive 7-foot-1 wingspan.
The team in blue-gray searched for an open player to pass the ball to, but the tension was palpable. Gray dribbled in frustration and got clipped in the mouth as the Barclays Center crowd erupted.
Cheers from the fans felt like a refreshing downpour after a long drought. However, Freedom seemed a bit sluggish and out of sync in the first half, trailing by 11 points.
But then Stewart sparked a transformation in the third quarter, contributing with rebounds, defense, and scoring, while Leonie Fiebich hit some timely three-pointers. Fiebich’s shots finally put New York ahead for the first time since the opening quarter.
From that point on, Freedom didn’t look back.
With under a minute to go, Stewart stole the ball from Maya Caldwell. Fiebich quickly joined her, and the German forward dished the ball back to Stewart for an easy layup in transition.
In the end, New York triumphed over the Dream with a score of 79-72. The fourth quarter showcased how Freedom should have played the entire game, with solid communication on defense, aggressive rebounding, and consistent shooting.
This was a stark contrast to New York’s earlier performance in the first half. Fiebich scored a career-high 21 points, making eight of her nine shots, including four out of five from beyond the arc.
Stewart wrapped up the game with an 18-point double-double and ten rebounds.
It wasn’t an easy win, but it was definitely one the Liberty needed as the All-Star break approaches. A loss would have placed New York in a precarious position, potentially dropping them to fourth in the league standings.
Currently, with a record of 14-6, they sit in third place. They have one more game before Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and coach Sandy Brondello head to Indianapolis for the All-Star Festival, which is Wednesday against the Heat.
