Liberty change it up with intense, efficient practice as homestand nears end

First-year Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco decided to do something a little different Sunday.After giving the team Saturday off following a grueling stretch of playing five games in nine days, DeMarco put 60 minutes on the clock.As long as the time was ticking, the team was going to be putting in a full effort.

The goal was to make the most of a condensed yet efficient practice.“Even when they talk, like, we don’t stop,” guard Marine Johannès recalled Monday.“So it was like we just keep going.

… It was the first time we did it.”There was a list of things he wanted to get through.In general, DeMarco addressed the live-ball turnovers and wanted players to get reps with different pairings as the team is almost fully healthy for the first time all season.

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.The practice structure was different from previous ones, according to Johannès.

But she thought it was successful.“Practice [Sunday] was good,” she said.“It was short, but really interesting and intense.

And today was a good practice for the entire team here.”The Liberty (5-4) hope the three days of thorough practice propels them forward as they continue to settle into the season.“We had a gnarly stretch.Five in [nine] is really tough, especially when we were like in and out of the lineup all the time,” Breanna Stewart said.

“But this practice time is crucial, especially being almost 100 percent.And really just making sure that we’re locking in, we’re paying attention because while this week is a little more chill, I think next week is a little bit more chaotic.”WNBA Commissioner Cup action began Monday, and the Liberty’s first in-season tournament game is Wednesday against Sandy Brondello’s Toronto Tempo.

New York is scheduled to wrap up this seven-game homestand Saturday when Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever come to town.This ho...