Sabrina Ionescu delivered a stunning finish Wednesday night in New York, scoring nine of her 29 points in the final minute as the New York Liberty rallied past the Chicago Sky 95-94. Jonquel Jones made the tiebreaking free throw with 3.4 seconds left to complete a comeback that saw New York erase a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes.
The result mattered because the Liberty (15-12) found a way to win despite being down late, turning a game that appeared to be slipping away into a one-point victory. Chicago (9-18) got a career-high 31 points from Sydney Taylor but couldn’t close after building a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
How the Liberty flipped the game late
Chicago carried momentum into the final period and pushed its advantage. After holding a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Sky expanded the margin behind 3-pointers from Gabriela Jaquez and Taylor to start a run. The surge continued until Taylor drilled another 3 with 5 1/2 minutes to play, giving Chicago an 84-72 lead.
Even after New York began to respond, the Sky remained in front deep into the closing stretch. The Liberty still trailed 91-85 with less than a minute to play, setting the stage for Ionescu’s late burst.
Ionescu started the final-minute rally with a contested corner 3-pointer while falling out of bounds. She followed with another 3-pointer, and then converted a three-point play with 15.1 seconds left to tie the game at 94. In that short span, she accounted for nine points and swung the outcome from a six-point deficit to a deadlock.
On the decisive possession, Courtney Vandersloot fed Kamilla Cardoso on a pick-and-roll, but Cardoso missed the layup. Cardoso then fouled Jones, sending the Liberty forward to the line with 3.4 seconds remaining. Jones made one of two free throws, and that single point proved to be the difference in a 95-94 finish.
Key performers for New York
Ionescu’s 29 points led the Liberty, and her efficiency stood out: she went 8 of 11 from the field, hit five 3-pointers, and was perfect at the line at 8 of 8. Breanna Stewart added 20 points and nine rebounds, while Jones posted 14 points and 10 rebounds. Rebecca Allen chipped in 12 points.
New York’s late push also featured big moments beyond the scoring. During the comeback stretch, Stewart blocked Vandersloot’s layup and then made a layup at the other end, pulling the Liberty within 86-85 with 2:35 to play after earlier baskets and 3s from Jones and Ionescu, including a four-point play from Ionescu.
Chicago’s big night falls just short
The Sky got a standout performance from Taylor, who scored a career-high 31 points. Vandersloot finished with 14 points, and Cardoso scored 10. Chicago’s offense produced enough to put the Sky in position to win, especially after the fourth-quarter run that turned a narrow edge into a 12-point cushion.
But the final sequence proved costly: after Ionescu tied it, Chicago’s pick-and-roll chance didn’t result in points, and the foul that followed sent Jones to the line for the deciding free throw.
What’s next
The Sky will be home against Connecticut on July 30. The Liberty will travel to Los Angeles on Tuesday.
