Liberty dominate the boards in Seattle

New York outrebounds Storm by record margin

September 3, 2024 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

With All-Star power forward Jonquel Jones back in the lineup, the Liberty controlled the glass in Seattle last Friday night. AP Photo by Lindsey Wasson

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The WNBA-leading Liberty were the chairwomen of the boards in Seattle.

And New York coach Sandy Brondello loved it.

“Crazy, isn’t it?” Brondello queried incredulously after being informed that the Liberty had established a franchise record for rebounding margin with a whopping 45-17 advantage over the Storm last Friday night.

Though New York (27-6) ranks second in the league behind Chicago with 36.6 caroms per contest, Brondello revealed following the 98-85 win in Seattle before 15,800 fans at Climate Pledge Arena that she has been asking for even more from her team along the boards.

“We talk about it. We’ve been talking about it all season long, and I think after the Olympic break, we’ve hit the glass way more consistently than we ever have,” noted Brondello.

In eight games since the league’s month-long hiatus for the 2024 Paris Games, the Liberty have grabbed at least 40 rebounds five times and matched a season-high with 47 in Seattle.

Having All-Star power forward and double-double machine Jonquel Jones back in the mix over the weekend certainly didn’t hurt the Liberty’s approach to rebounding.

The team leader with 9.4 boards per game snatched away 11 against the Storm (19-12). Eight of those came off the offensive glass, where New York pulled down a season-high 17 in the Storm’s end of the hardwood.

“That’s just having discipline and knowing those extra possessions help,” Brondello added.

“But 45 to 17. Oh my gosh, I didn’t realize that was 17 offensive boards, and they only had 17 total. So happy with that. (We) should have won by more.”

The Liberty missed Jones last Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

She was out for the first time this year due to a non-COVID-related illness, and New York managed only seven offensive boards, 32 total rebounds and committed 19 turnovers.

“I think she was able to see how much we missed her last game, just her presence in the post, her ability to go out there and rebound, get second chance opportunities, set great screens, just be a post presence for us,” Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu said of her fellow All-Star.

“And, you know, whatever she was able to give, she gave it her all tonight and really helped us win.”

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello has been pleased with her league-leading team’s rebounding prowess since the month-long Olympic break. Photo by Brandon Todd/New York Liberty

So did reserve center Nyara Sabally. Jones’ fill-in had 13 points and 10 boards in defeat last week in Los Angeles but amassed seven points and eight rebounds against the Storm in 14 minutes off the bench.

“Nyara, you saw the last game what she did. She’s very efficient,” said Brondello.

“She was great finishing at the rim, but rebounding, just that presence there she’ll learn a lot from this … The experience is certainly going to help her as we move forward. But you know she’s critical for us as we move forward.”

The Liberty needed every one of their rebounds to fend off the Storm, who led by three with 90 seconds remaining in the third quarter when Jewell Loyd drained a 20-foot step-back.

New York responded with an 11-0 run that included six straight points from Ionescu, including a long-range 3-ball that put the Liberty ahead to stay, 74-71, entering the final stanza.

Reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart, who torched her former team for 32 points, followed with a layup, and Courtney Vandersloot sank a 24-footer to open a 79-71 cushion with 8:14 to play.

The win kept New York 2 1/2 games in front of Connecticut (24-8) in the hunt for the league’s best record and home-court advantage throughout next month’s playoffs.

That was pending the Sun hosting Seattle Tuesday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Western Conference-leading Minnesota is three lengths behind the Liberty.

With seven regular-season games remaining, Brondello realizes the importance of each contest, including Thursday night’s rematch with the Storm here at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

She also knows her team has to continue controlling the boards to have success.

“We’re getting close to the end of the season. We want everyone to make sure that we’re healthy and can continue to build,” she said.

Sabrina Ionescu’s acrobatic bank shot from the floor at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle made all the national highlight reels Friday. AP Photo by Lindsey Wasson

GIVE ME LIBERTY: Ionescu, who finished with 25 points and eight assists Friday, made all the national highlight reels as her bank shot from her knees midway through the fourth quarter provided some levity and two points for the Liberty. After missing a contested layup and crumpling to the hardwood, the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for June and July had the rebound fall into her hands. She put up a shot without rising to her feet and got the desired result. “Well, I felt like it was the most open I’ve been all night, and so I decided to go for it,” Ionescu jabbed. “To be honest, I didn’t really, like, realize I was on the ground. I just saw the basket, and it looked good. I don’t know. I just got the rebound. I put it up. I figured if I was going to hold it, I was probably going to turn it over. Coach talks about turnovers, so I figured I could give us a second chance, maybe by throwing it at the rim and having JJ go rebound. But it actually went in, so I’ll take it. Shooters shoot.” They certainly do. Ionescu has made at least one 3-pointer in 56 consecutive contests, the second-longest streak of its kind in league history. New York recorded at least 15 assists in a game for the WNBA-record 104th straight time Friday.