Pivotal Game 2

The Liberty were not unaware of the disconnect between their WNBA-leading regular season record and their status as underdogs in their semifinal round series against the Aces. Not that they expected to be deemed favorites, never mind the fact that they won over their archrivals in all three of their previous matches this year. After all, they did wind up bridesmaids versus the defending champions in the 2023 Finals. And in view of the outcome, they acknowledged that they needed to prove themselves first before earning the respect they sought.

Creditably, the Liberty knew well enough to turn their failure into motivation. It was what propelled them to run roughshod over the league heading into Game One of the best-of-five affair the other day. It was also what they figured would give them the edge against the Aces, especially at Barclays Center in front of 14,015 fans looking for vindication. And, as things turned out, they were on the mark in their assessment. They never trailed en route to a double-digit victory, and, if nothing else, they underscored the superior depth of their roster as the difference maker.

Make no mistake. The Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones performed to expectations, enabling the Liberty to hold the Aces at bay. The latter did manufacture runs, as was expected from noted winners led by newly minted Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson. Still, none spelled danger for them because they were ready with a counter at every turn, because they brandished unshakable confidence, and because they truly believed they were better than the competition.

Today, the Liberty will need to consolidate their advantage with another triumph. Needless to say, Game Two will be pivotal to their title chances. Win anew, and they have the Aces backpedaling amid the pressure of sweeping the remainder of the series. Which is why they’ll be at their best in Game Two. The opportunity is in their hands, and they aim to make the most of it.

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.