EMPIRE STATE OF MIND: Liberty pip Lynx in OT thriller, capture 1st WNBA title

NEW YORK (AFP) — The New York Liberty erased an early 12 point deficit and beat the Minnesota Lynx, 67-62, in another overtime thriller on Sunday to claim the first Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) title in franchise history on Sunday.

The Liberty won the best-of-five Finals, 3-2, for a long-awaited breakthrough crown. They had lost five prior Finals and were the only remaining original franchise without a title.

Breanna Stewart made a pair of free throws to force overtime, and made another pair to seal the win in a frantic extra session that opened with Leonie Fiebich’s three-pointer that put New York ahead for good.

German substitute Nyara Sabally came up with a steal and raced for a basket that put the Liberty up 65-60 with 3:14 remaining and the Lynx couldn’t find a way back.

As superstar Sabrina Ionescu struggled mightily, connecting on just one of 19 shot attempts, Jonquel Jones led New York’s scoring with 17 points. Fiebich, Stewart and Sabally scored 13 apiece, Stewart adding 15 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Jones, who averaged 18 points and eight rebounds, was named Finals Most Valuable Player.

Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 22 points and Kayla McBride added 21, but Minnesota were denied a record fifth WNBA title.

The Lynx jumped to a 19-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. With 3:02 left in the first half Collier ducked under Stewart and drained a layup that pushed Minnesota’s lead to 12.

However, the Liberty finally began to build some momentum. Stewart drove for a layup that had the deficit back in single digits and after Minnesota’s Australian center Alanna Smith coughed up a turnover Jones made a pair of free throws to pull the Liberty within 34-27 at halftime.

Stewart opened the third quarter with a quick basket and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton cut the deficit to three with a step-back shot.

Sabally’s back-to-back baskets, both with assists from Ionescu, gave New York their first lead of the game, 40-38 and the Liberty led 47-44 going into the fourth.

Minnesota regained a one-point lead with 5:29 to play on Natisha Hiedeman’s running layup, but after Stewart came up with a big block, Fiebich put the Liberty up 51-50.

Ionescu drained a rainbow three-pointer -- her only basket of the night -- to give New York a 56-52 lead with 3:10 remaining and fed Stewart for a layup that made it 58-54.

But the Lynx rallied, Collier making back-to-back baskets for a 60-58 lead.

Stewart missed two free throws with a chance to tie it, but with 5.2 seconds left she went to the line again and made both to force overtime.

It was another scintillating contest in the first WNBA Finals since 2019 to go to a fifth game.

The Lynx rallied to win game one in overtime. 

The Liberty tied it up in game two and took the series lead with a three-point victory in Game 3, the Lynx forcing Sunday’s decider with a nail-biting two-point triumph in Game 4.