愛污传媒

Sports

    • New York Liberty win first WNBA championship, beating Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in OT

    New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) puts up a shot against Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (Pamela Smith/AP Photo) New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) puts up a shot against Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (Pamela Smith/AP Photo)
    Share
    NEW YORK -

    As confetti fell and Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blared through the arena, the New York Liberty celebrated the end of a long odyssey.

    The team that always fell short, starting from their days in Madison Square Garden, through detours to Radio City Music Hall and Westchester County Center, finally found their way to the top.

    Start spreading the news, indeed: There's finally a pro basketball champion in New York again after a 67-62 overtime win over Minnesota in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday night.

    With stars Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu struggling on offense, other players stepped up. Leonie Fiebich started off OT with a 3-pointer, and then Nyara Sabally, who finished with 13 points, had a steal for a layup to make it 65-60 and bring the sellout crowd to a frenzied state.

    "Whoever scores in overtime first usually wins," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said.

    Minnesota didn't score in OT until Kayla McBride hit two free throws with 1:51 left. The Lynx missed all six of their field goal attempts in overtime. After Ionescu missed a shot with 21 seconds left, her 18th miss on 19 shot attempts, the Lynx had one last chance, but Bridget Carleton missed a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left.

    Stewart, who missed a free throw with 0.8 seconds left in the end of regulation in Game 1, hit two free throws with 10.1 seconds left in overtime to seal the victory.

    As the final seconds ticked off the clock the players hugged and streamers fell from the rafters at Barclays Center. Stewart and Jones hugged. The two prize free agent signees two years ago helped get this team its first title.

    New York trailed by two in regulation when Stewart was fouled with 5.2 seconds left. After a lengthy video review, Stewart calmly hit two free throws to tie the game at 60. Minnesota had challenged the foul call and after the game coach Cheryl Reeve still questioned it, saying the title was stolen from her team.

    McBride, who finished with 21 points, had an open look for a 3, but it fell off the rim and the game went to OT.

    Many of the former Liberty greats were in the audience, including Teresa Weatherspoon, who hit a half-court heave in the 1999 WNBA Finals to force a decisive Game 3 that year. That was the last time that New York had a chance to play in a championship-deciding game until this year.

    Jones, who was the only player on the Liberty to compete in a Game 5 before when she was with Connecticut in 2019, earned MVP honors.

    "I could never dream of this. You know how many times I've been denied. It was delayed. I am so happy to do it here," she said.

    Napheesa Collier scored 22 points to lead Minnesota before fouling out with 13 seconds left in OT.

    The Lynx were trying for a record fifth WNBA title, breaking a tie with the Seattle Storm and Houston Comets. Minnesota won four titles from 2011-17 behind the core group of Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore. That was the team's last appearance in the WNBA Finals until this year.

    The New York Liberty hold up the championship trophy after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

    "Congratulations to the Liberty on their first championship," Reeve said. "It took them 28 years, congrats to them. We were that close to our fifth, it just didn't happen."

    This is the first time since 2019 that the WNBA Finals have gone the distance. Since the league switched to a best-of-five format in 2005, seven other series have gone to a Game 5 and the home team had won five of those previous contests, including in 2019.

    This series has been a fitting conclusion to a record-breaking season for the league. All five games came down to the last few possessions and have included two overtime games and a last-second shot, which have led to record ratings.

    The first three games each had over a million viewers on average, with the audience growing for each contest. They also have had huge crowds in attendance.

    Liberty fan Spike Lee was courtside over an hour before tipoff chatting with the media while wearing his Ionescu jersey. Once Ionescu finished warming up pregame, the pair had a brief exchange and hugged. Lee was part of a sellout crowd of 18,090 that helped this series set both the overall attendance record for a WNBA Finals as well as the average attendance mark.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    At least seven large-scale butter thefts have been reported in Guelph, Ont. over a 10-month period, including two hauls in just the last month.

    Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    Canada

    • A Superior Court justice in Milton has been ordered to participate in coaching from a more senior judge after the Canadian Judicial Council found that his tone was 'abusive and intimidating' during a family court hearing last September.

    • Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • Former volunteers with Eastern Ontario Cats (EOC) are working to track cats they say are either dead or missing after allegations of abuse, neglect and falsified medical records surfaced in recent months.

    • The Quebec government says it wants to hear from Quebecers about the possibility of scrapping the twice-yearly time change.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.

    A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥

    • With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.

    • The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday's provincial election.

    • Police say a youth has been arrested after a report of online threats against a school in the Metro Vancouver community of Richmond, B.C.

    • Police have released video footage of a recent home invasion in Richmond Hill as they search for three outstanding suspects who they say may have returned to the residence the following day to take another vehicle.

    • A Superior Court justice in Milton has been ordered to participate in coaching from a more senior judge after the Canadian Judicial Council found that his tone was 'abusive and intimidating' during a family court hearing last September.

    • A group of professional engineers plan to soon withdraw services from key Ontario infrastructure projects Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass as part of a bargaining dispute with the province.

    • A new study suggests the Government of Alberta purposely pushed false narratives around public safety to scale down safe supply in the province.

    • An electrical grid alert was issued throughout Alberta on Tuesday morning as temperatures cooled.

    • Calgary police are investigating a Monday crash that sent a man to hospital in life-threatening condition.

    • Memorials and tributes are taking place across Ottawa on Tuesday to remember Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, an honour guard stationed at the National War Memorial, killed 10 years ago today.

    • Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    • Former volunteers with Eastern Ontario Cats (EOC) are working to track cats they say are either dead or missing after allegations of abuse, neglect and falsified medical records surfaced in recent months.

    • Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

    • The Quebec government says it wants to hear from Quebecers about the possibility of scrapping the twice-yearly time change.

    • A Montreal suburb has started an operation to kill white-tailed deer in one of its local parks, after years of legal battles with activists seeking to save the animals.

    • Edmonton police are looking for information on a man they say is connected to a July house fire in the Fraser neighbourhood.

    • Edmonton Public Schools (EPS) custodians have voted 97 per cent in favour of going on strike.

    • Alberta photographers Holly Austin and Ginette Linares don't want women to be scaredy cats when it comes to stripping down.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • A member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party is crossing the floor and joining the Progressive Conservatives.

    • Communities east of Alberta set record high temperatures for an Oct. 21 while Alberta itself contended with the first snowfall of the season in some areas.

    • The Manitoba government is restoring the 1:1 apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio.

    • Brandon police are looking to find the owners of a small litter of puppies found abandoned in the city on Tuesday.

    • It was lights, cameras, and action at a beachfront Manitoba community last week as a Hollywood movie shoot took over the town once again.

    • Saskatchewan's Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) has found that former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal violated legislative rules by profiting from hotels while they were party to government contracts.

    • Two bullet holes were discovered at the campaign office of a Saskatchewan Party candidate in Regina.

    • Hundreds of voter information cards have landed in the wrong hands.

    • Police are investigating a suspicious fire at a Kitchener playground.

    • At least seven large-scale butter thefts have been reported in Guelph, Ont. over a 10-month period, including two hauls in just the last month.

    • People living in Doon South say they鈥檝e seen a group of teens running around and knocking down Halloween displays.

    • Hundreds of voter information cards have landed in the wrong hands.

    • A city planning document for the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) sparked controversy over the weekend, with three civic election candidates alleging Confederation Mall was at risk of being demolished and replaced with dense housing.

    • The Saskatchewan RCMP has confirmed a pedestrian was killed after being hit by a vehicle on Highway 2 near Wakaw on Sunday.

    • Now that the jury has begun deliberating in the Sudbury murder trial of Felicity Altiman, here are some of the interesting courtroom moments they didn't get to hear.

    • After operating for 51 years, General Motors has announced it is closing the Kapuskasing Proving Ground, a facility the automaker used to test the durability of its vehicles in cold weather.

    • Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.

    • The head of the union representing thousands of teachers believes the embattled Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is 鈥渕oving in the right direction.鈥

    • On the stand of a London courthouse on Tuesday, Rachel Johnson described how a fun bush bash birthday party on July 30, 2021 turned deadly.

    • 鈥淲hen Stoney Creek was built 15 years ago the development hadn鈥檛 expanded out this far, but now development has reached us, and surpassed us, and therefore demand is there to increase what space we have,鈥 Galloway explained.

    • Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a serious collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end involving a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle.

    • Police laid two dozen charges in connection with a month-long investigation into a criminal auto theft enterprise.

    • Police have arrested one person after an alleged bank robbery in Orillia.

    • 鈥榁ampire Zombies鈥rom Space!鈥 and 鈥楾hundersnake鈥, two films that are showing at the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF), were both shot across the city and in the County of Essex.

    • NextStar Energy is celebrating the official start of battery module production.

    • Researchers at the University of Windsor have been given $2.5 million from the Public Health Agency of Canada to advance a sexual violence prevention program.

    • With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.

    • The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday's provincial election.

    • Mounties are investigation after a 19-year-old driver was killed in a crash on Vancouver Island on Monday night.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Lethbridge police are advising the public of officer training on Tuesday that will happen in two different venues throughout the day.

    • Calgary scored three times in the first, and three times in the third as the Hitmen defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-1 Saturday at the Saddledome.

    • The last students to graduate from Lethbridge College will make history this weekend as they cross the stage at fall convocation.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    • An Indigenous group in northwestern Ontario shut down the highway for a couple of hours Monday morning in protest after ancestral remains were found at a construction site.

    • The owners of 73 vacant properties in the Sault have been fined for violations of the city's vacant properties bylaw, including 33 owned by a firm going through a high-profile insolvency process.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒