History is made: New York Liberty win first WNBA Finals in thrilling fashion

After 28 long seasons, the New York Liberty finally captured their first WNBA Championship, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in an overtime thriller, 67-62. The gritty, hard-fought game saw both teams combine for 28 turnovers, making it a test of resilience. The Liberty, led by Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, found a way to dig deep and finish strong despite a night where their star players struggled to score.

“I’ve been manifesting this moment for a while, and there’s no feeling like it.” Breanna Stewart said post-game.

Stewart, who played every minute of the game, tallied 13 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Though she and Ionescu had tough shooting nights, combining for a disappointing 5-for-34 from the field, it was their leadership and grit that kept the Liberty in the game. Ionescu didn’t score her first field goal until late in the second half and finished with just five points. Despite their struggles, Stewart remained aggressive.

“I’ll continue to be aggressive and shoot my shots … if they’re not falling they’re not falling." Stewart added

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier put up a valiant effort with 22 points, dominating early and helping her team build a lead as large as 12 points. But the Liberty’s defense clamped down, and New York took a narrow 40-38 lead in the third quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

The night’s biggest hero was Jonquel Jones, who was named WNBA Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 56 percent shooting throughout the series.

“What makes her difficult is you spend a lot of time guarding Sabrina and Breanna, and you give up some of those schemes, but you give up some of that,” said Lynx head coach Cheryll Reeve, acknowledging the challenge of defending Jones while trying to contain the Liberty’s other stars. “We knew she was going to score, but they shot 30 percent.” 

The game’s final moments were not without controversy, however. With 5.0 seconds left in regulation, Breanna Stewart was fouled, sending her to the free throw line, where she calmly knocked down both shots to tie the game. Reeve expressed frustration with the call post-game, implying the outcome could have been different had the foul not been called.

For the Liberty and their fans, though, it was a moment of pure celebration at Barclays Center, marking a historic achievement for the franchise and sparking hope for future success across New York sports.