Liberty Stumbles at Home Against Valkyries
Liberty kicked off its seven-game homestand with a disappointing performance.
In their first game after a week off, they fell 87-70 to the Golden State Valkyries, who had also enjoyed some rest before the match.
It’s a stark contrast to a year ago when the Liberty had back-to-back victories against the newly established Valkyries, marking a kind of welcome into the league.
This time, though, the Valkyries took charge early and maintained their advantage throughout.
Despite leading 25-15 at the end of the first quarter, things quickly unraveled for New York.
Initially, the adjustments discussed during timeouts seemed to work, but that momentum faded quickly.
Liberty began the second quarter strong, scoring 10 points to Golden State’s 2, even bringing the score to within two on a three-pointer from Rebecca Gardner.
However, that was pretty much the peak for the Liberty.
A timeout called by Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase allowed her team to regroup, and they regained control, heading into halftime with an eight-point lead.
One of the reasons Liberty struggled was Golden State’s ability to stay calm after a shaky start. The Valkyries hit 5 of 10 from three-point range in the first quarter, though they cooled off to 2 of 10 in the second.
The second half didn’t offer much hope either, as Liberty managed only a 21-12 win in the third quarter but still found themselves trailing significantly.
With just over six minutes left in the final quarter and a 20-point deficit, Chris DeMarco opted to bring in Han Shu, signaling a kind of defeat.
It wasn’t a night of success for the Liberty.
Jonquel Jones and Brianna Stewart were the primary offensive forces, with Stewart recording 18 points and nine rebounds, while Jones posted a season-high 16 points with eight rebounds.
Injuries played a role too, as Sabrina Ionescu could only watch from the bench alongside her teammates during the match.
Liberty’s star French players, Pauline Astier and Marine Johannes, had been performing well but seemed to struggle this time around.
The Valkyries made 13 of 35 attempts from three, whereas Liberty managed just 6 of 24.
Golden State’s addition of Gabby Williams, known for her strong two-way play, proved pivotal as her defense radically disrupted New York’s flow.
Turnovers have been a challenge for the Liberty, who are still adjusting to a new offensive strategy.
The Valkyries took full advantage of Liberty’s 15 turnovers, turning them into 17 points, mostly during the first half.
Looking ahead, the Valkyries will face Indiana on Friday, while Liberty has a short window to regroup before facing Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings on Sunday.
