Brooklyn, NY– The New York Liberty secured a hard-fought 77-70 victory against the Seattle Storm at Barclays Center on Thursday night, bolstered by a standout performance from Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Laney-Hamilton led the Liberty with 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists, marking a significant milestone by hitting her 134th career three-pointer with the team. This achievement places her 15th on the Liberty’s all-time three-pointers made list.
Breanna Stewart, facing her former team, contributed 14 points, seven boards, and three assists while showcasing her defensive prowess with three blocks. Stewart’s performance also saw her achieve two notable career milestones: surpassing 2,222 career rebounds to move into 23rd on the WNBA’s all-time rebounding list and moving into 19th place for most three-pointers made in Liberty franchise history with 120. Additionally, Stewart tied Elena Delle Donne for the third-most career games with three or more blocks in WNBA history, with 51.
The game featured critical runs that shaped the outcome. The Liberty surged with a 13-4 run from the 7:11 mark to the 4:13 mark of the first quarter, establishing an early lead. They continued to build momentum with a 12-4 run from the 1:44 mark of the first quarter to the 7:41 mark of the second quarter. Despite the Storm’s efforts to close the gap, they could not fully recover from these significant runs.
The Liberty led 40-36 at the break but turned it up a notch in the second half.
Skylar Diggins-Smith led the Seattle Storm with a strong performance, scoring 21 points. However, despite her efforts and the Storm’s competitive play, they were unable to overcome the Liberty’s decisive runs.
Looking ahead, the Liberty will face a formidable opponent in the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, September 8, at 4:00 p.m. ET at Barclays Center. The matchup promises to be another thrilling contest as the Liberty continue their pursuit of excellence in the 2024 season.
