23
May
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Sandy's Liberty locks up Allen's Chicago Sky
Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty drives to the basket against Australian Rebecca Allen #9 of the Chicago Sky during the first half at Wintrust Arena on May 23, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Highlights
Sandy Brondello's New York Liberty move to 2-0 after a dominant 25-point win against Bec Allen's Sky
- Rebecca Allen played 20 minutes off the bench for the 0-2 Chicago Sky
- New York Liberty lit up the Sky on 55% shooting from the field
- Sandy Brondello has the New York Liberty firing on all cylinders to start the season
Australian head coach Sandy Brondello would have been pretty happy with Opals and Chicago Sky wing Rebecca Allen's 20 minutes against the New York Liberty — but even happier her defending WNBA champions moved to 2-0 after getting dominant 99-74 road win on Friday, May 23, 2025.
Allen, 32, had 11 points on 4-from-8 from the field, including 1-from-3 from deep, 2-of-4 from the free throw line to go with four boards.
Liberty's hot shooting — a scorching 55% from the field — and stifling defense held Angel Reese to just two points in the 25-point victory.
Key Details
- Result: New York Liberty 99 def. Chicago Sky 74
- When: 23rd May 2025
- Where: Wintrust Arena, Chicago
- Standings: New York (#1) | Chicago (#11) Standings
By the Numbers
- Natasha Cloud (Liberty) starred with 18 points, four rebounds, and eight assists in 27 minutes.
- Courtney Vandersloot (Sky) scored 14 points, had two rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 25 minutes.
What Happened
New York set the tone early, building a 28-23 lead after the first quarter behind Cloud's efficient shooting. The second quarter saw the Liberty completely dominate, outscoring Chicago 25-9 to take a commanding 53-32 lead into halftime. The Sky never recovered.
Chicago's offensive woes were epitomised by second-year rebounding machine Angel Reese, who struggled mightily against New York's interior defense. Despite grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds (eight offensive), Reese shot 0-from-8 from the field and finished with just two points.
Kennedy Burke provided a significant spark off the bench for New York, scoring 17 points on near-perfect shooting. Her 4-from-4 accuracy from beyond the arc helped the Liberty maintain their substantial lead throughout the second half.
Sabrina Ionescu added 16 points and five assists, while Breanna Stewart contributed 12 points, three steals and two blocks despite shooting just 3-from-8 from the field.
The Liberty's shooting efficiency was the story of the game. New York connected on 55.2 percent of their field goals (32-from-58) compared to Chicago's 36.2 percent (25-from-69). The Liberty were equally impressive from three-point range, shooting 55.9 percent (19-from-34) while Chicago managed 40.7 percent (11-from-27). New York also dominated at the free-throw line, converting 94.1 percent (16-from-17) of their attempts.
Defensively, the Liberty forced 23 Chicago turnovers, converting them into easy transition opportunities. New York's nine blocks—including four from Jonquel Jones—severely limited the Sky's effectiveness in the paint. The balanced Liberty attack featured six players scoring in double figures, while Chicago relied heavily on Rachel Banham's 15 points off the bench.
