Liberty’s Ionescu scores late 3-pointer to end Sky’s 6-game win streak

Sabrina Ionescu scored three points with 9.7 seconds to go to lift the New York Liberty to victory over the visiting Chicago Sky. This win snapped a five-game losing streak.

Ionescu, trailing 80-78 with 19 second left, took the ball and drove to the lane where Rebekah Gardner fouled her. Ionescu finished with 17 points and nine assists, while she also had eight rebounds. New York took the lead at 17-17 thanks to the free throw that she converted.

Chicago (21-7), got the ball, but Candace Parker missed a shot at the lane with less than 2 seconds remaining. The Sky had one more chance after Michaela Onyenwere made two free throws. Emma Meesseman’s 3-pointer missed the rim at half-time.

This loss ended Sky’s six-game winning streak.

Parker scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Sky, who were playing in the second-half a back-toback. Chicago, already a playoff contender, played Friday night at its home, before flying to New York on Saturday. The Sky’s flight to New York was delayed by storms. They arrived there around noon.

They trailed by 69-59 in the fourth period, but the Sky scored a 13-2 run and took a 72-71 lead with Parker’s putback at 3:11 remaining.

New York took the lead from Ionescu.

Also, the game featured a match between Chinese players Han Xu from New York and Li Yueru from Chicago. The game was live televised in China. Qin Gang, the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. was there as well as Cathy Engelbert (WNBA Commissioner) and Michael Ma (head NBA China).

Han ended with 12 points, while Li finished with four minutes.