The Liberty are a game away from their first-ever championship in the Women’s National Basketball Association, and, fittingly, they have put themselves in position to make history with a ridiculous game winner. That the basket was made by the best shooter in the league via a Curryesque sidestep logo bomb only made the outcome even more memorable for fans who have long been tortured by cruel twists of fate. Perhaps it was simply time for the law of averages to come their way.
To be sure, the Liberty had to endure the worst practically all match long. With the Lynx finally hitting the ground running from opening tip, they found themselves playing from behind for the first time in the series. In front of a hostile crowd of 19,521 that booed them at just about every turn, they needed no small measure of resolve to stay focused on their objective of regaining the homecourt advantage they let go of following their devastating Game One experience.
Fortunately for the Liberty, their two brightest lights came through just when it mattered in Game Three. Two-time Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart practically carried them from the moment they trailed a minute and a half into the first quarter until the instant they regained the lead with a minute and a half left in the set-to. She was a monster on both ends of the court, and she set the stage for fellow All-Star Sabrina Ionescu’s last-minute heroics. After having seemed to disappear for the first 39 minutes of the contest, the latter came alive in the crunch to secure the triumph.
Tomorrow, the Liberty have the opportunity to completely exorcise the demons that have plagued them since their pioneering campaign 28 years ago. The task will not be easy, what with Target Center diehards slated to once again make the going miserable for them in Game Four. More importantly, the Lynx have a winner’s pedigree borne of head coach Cheryl Reeve’s steady hand and highlighted by Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier’s ascension as a member of the league elite.
That said, the Liberty are primed. For the first time in five trips to the Finals, they will be playing ahead. And how well they stand and withstand the pressure of closing out the best-of-five affair with the vaunted Lynx in the way will determine their fate.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.