Wild timeout controversy hangs over Libertys Game 2 loss that puts season on brink

ATLANTA — With Angel Reese on the free-throw line in a one-possession game with 4.3 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night, the Liberty were looking for answers.Breanna Stewart asked crew chief Kevin Fahy if the Liberty had a reset timeout.She said she asked another official too.

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.Fahy wasn’t entirely sure.

He said he’d check.The Liberty were told no.New York’s final attempt fell short.

Stewart’s 3-pointer was off the mark.And the Liberty ultimately fell to the Atlanta Dream 101-98, putting New York’s season on life support.The Liberty, now trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five semifinals, learned after the game they had a reset timeout after all and could’ve advanced the ball on the final possession.“When I ask both refs if we have a reset timeout at the end, and they tell us no and then we leave the game with the reset timeout, it’s pretty frustrating,” Breanna Stewart said.

“I kind of got a good look at the end but would just love to have some clarity on that situation as well.”Sabrina Ionescu said she also inquired about the reset timeout and was told they didn’t have it.“I feel like that’s something that they should know, I guess we had one,” Ionescu said.“I didn’t find that out until after.”Ionescu acknowledged an officiating blunder to that degree “can cost [a team] the game for us.”“I just feel like that’s unacceptable for the fact that we asked multiple times and they were telling us no,” Ionescu said.

“So I mean, nothing we can do about it now.Mistakes happen, but obviously that’s a costly mistake.”Leonie Fiebich didn’t blame officiating for the loss.“It sounds like a big drama, but I don’t think that’s the reason why we lost,” Fiebich said.

“Of course, it’s unfortunate, but I think we could have won before that, didn’t let it come that far.”T...