Sister act in the desert…
Whether you are fans of what went down in the NBA Draft or not, it is time to bring our attention back to the ladies, more specifically the New York Liberty. As NetsDaily’s Brian Fleurantin said, the Liberty were able to escape with a win in a contest against the Golden Valkyries that could’ve easily gone the other way. With the 81-78 victory, the Liberty showed how great they can be even without two of their three alphas leading the way.
In today’s contest, the Liberty will need every single drop of that same greatness as they will have a rematch against the Phoenix Mercury, who defeated them 89-81 in their last contest and their second loss of the season up to that point.
Where To Watch
Catch the action at 10:00 p.m. ET on ION TV.
Injuries
Jonquel Jones (ankle) and Leonie Fiebich (FIBA commitment) will be out once again.
For the Mercury, Lexi Held will be out tonight.
The Game
There should be no argument that Breanna Stewart was the most important player for the Liberty in their game against the Valkyries. She scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Stewart’s aggression at the rim and her willingness to get her hands dirty on the glass might make her the Liberty’s best option right now with JJ out and Sabrina dealing with her neck injury.
Nyara Sabally must have a big game as well on the defensive end and on the boards.
These players will be key against the Mercury’s frontcourt, as they were the ones who led the way in their win against New York.
Player to Watch
Nyara’s sister, Satou, was a main catalyst when she faced the Chicago Sky, her former team, four nights back. She put up 15 and 9 for the Merc. The 6’4” Satou had gone into the game promising professionalism.
As the Arizona Republic pointed out pre-game, Sabally, who had been acquired from the Dallas Wings in a four-team trade during the offseason, is happy with her fresh start in the Valley.
Off to her best start since 2023, Sabally is averaging 20.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Sabally is returning from an injury-riddled year the previous season. She’s already five games away from matching the number of games she played last year with the Dallas Wings.
“I trust in my work. I really take the offseason seriously,” Sabally said. “Just working relentlessly and trusting that you’ll perform.”
She’ll face sister Nyara Sabally, the slightly younger, slightly taller version of herself. That has to be a big motivator for both.
From the Vault
Satou Sabally is among the most decorated WNBA players: Two-time WNBA All-Star (2021, 2023); All-WNBA First Team (2023) and WNBA Most Improved Player (2023.) But sister Nyara has a ring, a big one too, last year’s WNBA championship ring. And she deserved every diamond on it. Never forget.
And Satou was there for the celebration on Barclays Center court…
More reading: Team Thirteen Valkyries Blog, Valkyrie Nation, The Valkyries Blog, Swish Appeal, Chicago Sun Times, Women’s Basketball Roundup, No Cap Space, The Strickland, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next