Jonquel Jones sank one of two free throws with 3.4 seconds left as the New York Liberty made a dramatic fourth-quarter rally to edge the Chicago Sky 95-94 on Wednesday night in Brooklyn.
Jones’ free throw capped a wild final minute for the Liberty (15-12), who trailed the Sky by eight with 58.9 seconds left. Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu made a long 3-pointer with 56.1 seconds left, then another with 28.1 seconds to go to make it a two-point game, 93-91.
After Ionescu’s second trey, teammate Breanna Stewart was called for a foul on Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot, but Vandersloot made only one of two free throws with 26.3 seconds to go in regulation. Ionescu then drove to the basket, scored and was fouled with 15.1 seconds to play. She made her free throw to tie the game at 94.
Chicago had time to set up and Vandersloot fired a pass to Kamilla Cardoso inside, but Cardoso’s layup rolled off and Cardoso was whistled for a foul grabbing at Jones for the rebound.
The Sky (9-18) have now lost their last two games in the final seconds after losing to the host Atlanta Dream on Jordin Canada’s buzzer-beating layup on Sunday. Chicago led by as many as 12 points on Wednesday.
Ionescu finished with a team-high 29 points and made five 3-pointers. Jones, hampered with foul trouble most of the night, finished with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Stewart totaled 20 points and nine boards.
Sky rookie Sydney Taylor was magnificent in the loss, finishing with a career-high 31. Vandersloot added 14 and Cardoso 10.
In the first half, the Liberty achieved the unusual circumstance of leading after the first bucket of the half, and leading after the last, but with Chicago ahead the whole way in between.
After the Liberty took a 2-0 lead, Chicago seized control and led 12-5 after a long three by Taylor with 7:23 remaining in the quarter. Chicago carried a 32-26 advantage after one.
The Sky went on a 6-0 run midway through the second quarter with Azura Stevens converting a pair of free throws for a 46-39 lead with 2:54 left, matching the biggest lead of the first half.
With Jones on the bench with three fouls, things looked bad for the Liberty, but they dominated the last three minutes of the half. Han Xu, Jones’ replacement, scored inside, then Stewart put back her own miss.
Rebekah Gardner scored on a putback with 52 seconds left to pull the Liberty to 46-45, then Ionescu drained a long 3-pointer to give New York a 48-46 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
