Jonquel Jones led the way with 20 points as the host New York Liberty secured their place in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game following an 86-64 home victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
Breanna Stewart earned a double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high seven blocks for the Liberty (10-4, 5-0 Commissioner’s Cup).
The win marks the Liberty’s seventh straight, maintaining their dominant form in the season and tournament play.
Michaela Onyenwere spearheaded Washington (5-7, 2-3) with 17 points, while Sonia Citron contributed 12. However, the Mystics were hampered by shooting struggles, hitting just 29.4% overall and only 1-of-3 from behind the arc in the first period.
Sabrina Ionescu, returning from a recurrence illness, made her presence known despite bench minutes, contributing five points in 26 minutes. Her return, along with that of role players Sabally (seven points, six assists) and Laney-Hamilton (four points), strengthened New York’s depth as they showcased their star trio in a game where the opposing team played without starter Kiki Iriafen, who sustained a sprained ankle.
Washington trailed by four entering the second period but could not close the gap, as New York led 20-13 by the first quarter’s end. Steffen addition Steffen added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds coming at the midpoint of play, extending a sizable lead. In the third, Washington hit 4 of 6 triples to stay competitive, cutting the margin to 63-50 in the fourth. However, the run would be short-lived with Liberty stretching the lead to 17 points at the midpoint of the fourth period by virtue of the Jones three-point shot, which prompted a cascade into the game-winning stretch run.
–Field Level Media
