Ogwumike’s buzzer-beater burns New York in Los Angeles
Satou Sabally and the New York Liberty suffered a heartbreaking loss in Los Angeles on Sunday in a rematch of the WNBA’s inaugural game. Photo: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
On the 30th anniversary of the WNBA’s inaugural game, the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks staged one of the most dramatic contests of this historic campaign.
Nneka Ogwumike made sure the sellout crowd of 18,043 at crypto.com Arena went home happy while the Liberty were left to lament a second consecutive loss.
“Some miscommunication. … They got a good look,” New York coach Chris DeMarco muttered following Ogwumike’s wide-open buzzer-beating 3-pointer, a shot that sent the Liberty to a hard-to-swallow 98-97 defeat.
The win avenged the Sparks’ 67-57 defeat to New York at the Great Western Forum in front of 14,284 fans in the then-fledgling league’s first-ever game three decades prior.
“They scored and we didn’t. They just played better,” added Liberty forward Satou Sabally after putting up 14 points and handing out seven assists on a night New York (11-6) squandered a 17-point, second-half lead.
Ogwumike scored 12 of her game-high 24 points during Los Angeles’ late push, but it took a couple of missed free throws by Breanna Stewart to open the door for the Sparks’ fourth win in six games.
The Liberty and Sparks tipped off before a sellout crowd in L.A. on Sunday three decades after New York beat the Sparks in the league’s first-ever game. Photo: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
After Stewart clanged the first of two from the charity stripe with 8.6 ticks showing on the clock, Erica Wheeler drove the lane and dished out to Ogwumike, who splashed a 25-footer to set off a wild celebration.
“Everyone in our locker room wouldn’t have picked another person to hit that shot,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said.
“On a night like tonight, where we’re honoring the legacy of not only the Sparks but the league, what Nneka has done — especially getting that new (collective bargaining agreement) done — it’s powerful when you think about it. That’s what sports can do is bring out those moments. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
Stewart finished with 18 points and 10 boards, rookie Pauline Astier added 17 off the bench and Leonie Fiebich had 13 for New York, which got outscored 60-42 in the paint before Ogwumike provided the finishing touch from long range.
“I think they really started to get into what they do well as a team,” Jonquel Jones noted following an 18-point, eight-rebound effort.
“We have to do a better job on being locked in, even if a team is playing that well,” she added.
Sabrina Ionescu, still working her way back into the lineup after missing all but five of the Liberty’s first 17 games due to ankle and back injuries, managed only two points in nearly 22 minutes on the L.A. hardwood.
“Getting her back to where she’s comfortable out there,” DeMarco said of the four-time All-Star guard. “It’s just going to take time.”
Ionescu, who hit the game-winning layup in the final seconds of last Wednesday’s win in Chicago, wasn’t even on the floor when Ogwumike spoiled the Liberty’s bid for their ninth win in 10 games.
Marine Johannes added 10 points for New York, which will try to avert a third consecutive loss Tuesday night in Las Vegas in a preview of the June 30 Commissioner’s Cup title game at Downtown’s Barclays Center.
“We’ll learn from (this loss) and we’ll move on and we’ll be better next time we play them,” said Jones.
“We want to go out there, win as many games as possible and bring another championship to New York.”
Tip-off at Michelob ULTRA Arena against the defending WNBA champion Aces is slated for 10 p.m. ET.
The game will air nationally on USA Network and locally on My9.
Jonquel Jones and the Liberty squandered a 17-point, second-half lead in Los Angeles on Sunday. Photo: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
GIVE ME LIBERTY: The Liberty will visit the Sparks (8-8) again on July 28 before hosting the Sparks at Barclays on Aug. 13. … Following her 13-point effort off the bench in last Friday’s loss to Washington in Brooklyn, DeMarco decided to install Sabally in the starting lineup in L.A. She responded by draining three 3-pointers and grabbing five rebounds to go with her other numbers. “We just thought it was time for Satou,” said DeMarco. “It’s hard for her to get as many minutes off the bench.” … Jones passed Tari Phillips for second on the team’s all-time rebounding list with her 1,077th carom in just her fourth season in New York. … Astier went 4-of-5 from the field, handed out five assists and hauled down four rebounds in Sunday’s defeat, furthering her campaign for All-Rookie Team status despite being a non-drafted free agent. … After visiting Vegas, the Liberty will continue their four-game West Coast swing with Thursday’s visit to Seattle and Sunday’s game at Golden State. Read tomorrow’s Eagle sports page for a recap of Tuesday night’s 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. The Nets will have the No. 6 overall pick and reportedly acquired the No. 33 selection from Minnesota as well after trading veteran center Nic Claxton to Chicago for Timberwolves forward Julius Randle in a three-team swap, according to ESPN.
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