Brooklyn, NY — Leonie Fiebich delivered a career-best performance with 21 points, sparking a furious comeback as the New York Liberty overcame a 19-point first-half deficit to defeat the Atlanta Dream 79-72 on Sunday afternoon at Barclays Center.
Breanna Stewart contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Liberty (14-6), who trailed by double digits at halftime but outscored Atlanta 48-30 in the second half to secure the win.
Fiebich caught fire in the third quarter, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers that gave New York its first lead since the opening minutes. The Liberty held a slim 60-58 edge early in the fourth before launching a decisive 12-2 run. Kennedy Burke scored five points during the burst, and Nyara Sabally drilled a three-pointer to push the lead to 70-60 with five minutes left.
Atlanta (12-9) managed to close the gap to four but couldn’t get over the hump, missing key opportunities down the stretch.
Allisha Gray led the Dream with 16 points. Brittney Griner posted her first double-double since joining Atlanta, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Dream were without All-Star Rhyne Howard, sidelined due to a knee injury sustained in their previous game against Indiana.
New York saw the return of Natasha Cloud (hip) and Isabelle Harrison (knee), both of whom missed the prior game due to injury. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s Naz Hillmon made history by appearing in her 128th consecutive game, breaking the franchise record previously held by Iziane Castro Marques. Hillmon added 11 points in the loss.
The Dream jumped out to a commanding 19-point lead in the first half and took a 42-31 advantage into halftime. Sabrina Ionescu struggled early, shooting just 1-for-11 in the opening two quarters. But the Liberty regrouped in the second half, with Fiebich leading the charge as New York entered the final period ahead 55-53.
