Sabrina Ionescus game-winning layup, bench lead Liberty past Sky for eighth straight win
CHICAGO — The Liberty extended their win streak to eight games Wednesday with a 96-95 win against the Chicago Sky.New York mostly had its bench to thank for staying in the game.And Jonquel Jones’s nine-point fourth quarter and Sabrina Ionescu’s redeeming game-winning layup to secure the victory.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.Satou Sabally scored 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting and Rebekah Gardner added 10 to lead the Liberty in outscoring the Sky’s bench 38-14.The Sky had no business hanging around as long as they did.
But it was like the Liberty were unaware that the Sky’s rookies, Gabriela Jaquez and Sydney Taylor, were respectable scoring threats.Taylor, coming off a breakout 30-point performance against the Indiana Fever, led all scorers with 24 points.Jaquez added 22.The Sky have been one of the biggest disappointments in the WNBA this season.
They started 3-1 but have gone completely off the rails since.Entering Wednesday, they had lost nine of their previous 11.One of their top offseason acquisitions — Rickea Jackson — suffered a season-ending ACL tear last month.
Courtney Vandersloot, one of the franchise’s most tenured players, has yet to return after injuring her knee a year ago.But Liberty coach Chris DeMarco wouldn’t be fooled by the challenge the Sky might present.“They have a lot of talent,” DeMarco said of the Sky.“… Definitely a dangerous team.”The Sky rudely awoke the Liberty in the first quarter, pulling ahead by as many as 14 points.The Liberty used a 22-6 run across the end of the first quarter and into the second to take a one-point lead.But the Sky never backed off.
They kept pace with the Liberty, keeping within three points for most of the third quarter.Leonie Fiebich’s 3-pointer toward the end of the third gave the Liberty a six-point advantage for their largest lead of the night to that point.Eve...