Liberty’s Historic Win Under Sandi Brondello
LOS ANGELES – Sandi Brondello made history as the greatest coach of the New York Liberty when the team triumphed over the Sparks, scoring 105-97 on Tuesday night.
Since joining the Liberty before the 2022 season, Brondello notched his 101st win, surpassing Richie Advato to claim the top spot in the franchise’s record books.
Emma Meesman played a significant role in the victory, finishing with a season-high of 24 points, along with nine rebounds and four assists in just her fifth game against the Liberty.
This matchup was more about offense than defense, exhibiting a high-scoring display from both teams.
Tuesday’s game marked Liberty’s best scoring performance of the season, reaching the 100-point mark for the second time.
All five starters for the Liberty scored in double figures. Jonquel Jones contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Leonie Fiebich added 20 points.
On the Sparks side, four players ended with 16 points or more, with Kelsey Plum leading the way at 26 points, along with five rebounds and five assists.
After a solid first half, Liberty gained a nine-point lead and maintained the momentum in the third quarter.
However, they also faced some issues, including two turnovers that allowed the Sparks to score easily and cut into the lead.
Liberty is known for playing with flair, but they were missing key players like Breanna Stewart, Kennedy Burke, and Nyara Sabally, which affected their depth.
The Sparks closed the gap to three points early in the fourth quarter before New York solidified their victory.
While the WNBA rankings may not be a top concern for Liberty, the tight standings throughout the regular season can’t be overlooked.
With this win, Liberty now holds second place in the rankings, trailing the Lynx, who have claimed the lone postseason berth, by six games.
However, there’s only a 1.5-game difference separating the second, third, and fourth positions.
Only the top eight teams will qualify for the playoffs, and with 12 regular-season games remaining in just 29 days, Liberty is in a sprint to the finish.
New York’s next challenge comes on Wednesday against Las Vegas.
