Liberty get best of former coach in dominant win over Tempo

There was a Commissioner’s Cup matchup at Barclays Center on Wednesday night, but more than anything it was a homecoming for multiple former Liberty faces.At the forefront was Sandy Brondello, who returned to New York for the first time since being fired after four seasons with the Liberty, which included their first championship.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.

The Liberty stole the show in the end, besting their former coach in their first matchup with a 97-82 win over Brondello’s Toronto Tempo in the in-season tournament, in large part due to a huge game from Jonquel Jones.Though Brondello didn’t leave Barclays with a win, she did leave with a lot of love from Liberty fans.Before tipoff, the 13-year WNBA head coach confessed she didn’t want an extravagant welcome.She hoped for nothing more than an image of herself on the jumbotron.“I’m not someone that needs to be celebrated,” she said.She didn’t get her wish.One couldn’t miss the several Liberty players and training staff members, including Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Leonie Fiebich and Rebecca Allen, who approached Brondello during warmups, giving her hugs and a brief catch-up.She received a booming welcome from fans during lineup announcements, smiling and waving to the crowd in thanks as her husband and Tempo assistant coach Olaf Lange patted her on the shoulder in support.Brondello also received a tribute video in the middle of the first quarter, along with Isabelle Harrison, Nyara Sabally and former assistant coaches Brian Lankton and Lange.It only made sense for a coach who left quite a mark on the franchise.Through establishing championship-minded standards for her players and staff, Brondello led the Liberty from the bottom of the barrel to a consistent contender.In 2022, Brondello inherited a team that had only won a combined 14 games over the two previous seasons.

By 2024, she...