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New York Liberty: 2024 WNBA Champions
The long wait for the Liberty is over.
After 28 years and five previous Finals appearances, New York are now champions.
In front of a raucous Brooklyn crowd at the Barclays Center, the Liberty defeated a relentless Minnesota Lynx team 67-62 in overtime in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the Finals.
It wasn’t so joyful for the Lynx, as a debatable foul decision left the team’s head coach, Cheryl Reeve, fuming after the final whistle.
With the Lynx up 60-58 and under six seconds remaining in regulation, officials whistled a foul on Minnesota’s Alanna Smith on Liberty forward Breanna Stewart. The two-time league MVP was driving to the hoop and appeared to have minimal contact with Smith as she took a shot.
The Lynx challenged the call, but the decision was upheld after a video review.
“I’m sorry but that wasn’t a foul! Let the damn players dictate the outcome of a close battled tested game,” NBA superstar LeBron James posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Reeve said the call “decided the game,” adding the game – and WNBA championship – was “stolen from us.”
“The officials during the game should have a third party because that was not a foul. That call should have been reversed on that challenge,” she told reporters.
“I know all the headlines will be ‘Reeve Cries Foul.’ Bring it on, right. Bring it on,” Reeve said. “Because this sh*t was stolen from us. Bring it on.”
When asked about Reeve’s complaints, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello told reporters that she respected both her counterpart and the entire Lynx team.
“I thought they were pretty fair,” she said laughing, when asked what she thought about the officials. “I have so much respect for Cheryl and I have so much respect for that Minnesota Lynx team because, man, it was ugly, but we found a way to win.”
Brondello had been highly critical of the officiating after a Game 4 Liberty loss that forced the title decider.
The face of the NY franchise still needed to come up big to force overtime.
Without Stewart, the Lynx may have found themselves dancing to their famed celebratory “Electric Slide” at the buzzer had it not been for two-time Finals MVP.
Stewart stood at the free throw line with nerves of steel-like composure and calmly stroked both charity stripe buckets like no one was watching.
Nyara Sabally was New York’s unexpected star.
Coming into Sunday, she averaged 2.8 points per game in the Finals but came alive to score a crucial 13 points in Game 5.
The former Oregon star made an impact beyond her unforeseen offensive impact. She grabbed seven rebounds and had a key block in OT, stuffing Lynx star Napheesa Collier at the hoop when Minnesota attempted to tie the game late.
The rejection was not lost on anyone after the game. After all, Collier led the WNBA playoffs in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals.
Her teammate Stewart praised Sabally after the game.
“We were trying to do whatever we could. We needed, like a spark and she was that. She continued to trust the process and we are so proud of Ny. So proud,” she said.
How valuable was the German national team member? The typical roleplayer was often matched up to guard Collier and played the entire overtime session.
“That’s what I’ve been working for my all my career - moments like these,” she said after the game during the trophy presentation.
“And to be able to come in here and do this in a Game 5 at home, it just means the world.”
The new star then hugged her sister as tears started to well up in her eyes.
Regardless of the foul controversy, Stewart was a force on the boards, grabbing 15 rebounds to go with her 13 points.
The Liberty’s other big star, Sabrina Ionescu, struggled mightily in the game, scoring just five points on 1-of-19 shooting.
New York’s Jonquel Jones was named the Finals MVP.
The Bahamian was steady Sunday while her teammates couldn’t find their rhythm.
She scored 12 points in two quarters, nearly half of the Liberty’s production. Jones finished with 17 points and six rebounds.
Jones was modest after being handed the prestigious award and the crowd shouting ‘MVP.’
“None of this happens without my teammates and without the people that have poured into me,” she said while acknowledging her mother, her fiancé and others.
The Lynx were up 34-27 at the half. If not for Jones, NY would have been in serious trouble.
The Liberty started stone cold with the Lynx opening the game on a 6-0 run. Jones finally hit a bucket to settle New York’s nerves.
Collier started hot with slashing moves to the basket for several lay-ins. After a Collier bucket to stretch the lead to 19-10 in the first quarter, Brondello called a timeout to stop the momentum. Collier finished the opening quarter with 8 points and a game-high 22 points overall.
With the Lynx up 10, Stewart finally scored her first points in the second quarter.
Despite her shooting woes, Ionescu never relented and dished out key assists.
After the Lynx emerged from their locker room cold, the former University of Oregon guard found Sabally for back-to-back buckets - the second of which put the Liberty up 40-38 and the team’s first lead.
Ionescu was pumped up after the moment – flexing as the buoyant Brooklyn crowd showered her with support.
After the win, Ionescu gave credit to her team.
“[I] just did whatever it took to win. [I] believed in my teammates, believed in this entire organization. It takes everyone; you don’t do this alone.
“God, we did it in New York,” she screamed, much to the delight of the fans.
Those same supporters have a parade to attend.
After the Liberty’s 3-2 series win, New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted on social media that “City Hall and other city buildings will be lit up seafoam in their honor. But that’s not all. We’re throwing these incredible athletes a parade to celebrate all their hard work this season.”
The first WNBA Championship in franchise history will get a ticker tape parade, which is set to start at 10 a.m. ET Thursday.
Organizers said the procession will begin at Battery Park and run north through lower Broadway’s so-called “Canyon of Heroes.”
Following the parade, City Hall will host a ceremony before the team hosts a fan event at Barclays Center that night.
Brisbane Lions: 2024 AFL Premiers
THESE will forever be Brisbane's kings of the pride.
After last year's heartbreak, a 0-3 start to the season, five season-ending knee reconstructions, missing out on the top four, three finals on the road, a semi-final win for the ages and storylines everywhere you looked, Brisbane is the premier for 2024 after a Toyota AFL Grand Final dismantling of Sydney.
In the redemption cup – the Lions looking to go one better than their four-point loss to Collingwood and Sydney hoping to overturn its disastrous 2022 decider – it was Chris Fagan's men who saluted by 60 points in an MCG masterclass in front of 100,013 fans.
The 18.12 (120) to 9.6 (60) win delivered the Lions their first flag since 2003 and 12th through its Fitzroy history as Fagan lifted the cup in his eighth season at the helm.
This was a rough welcome to the jungle for the Swans – everywhere Sydney turned, Brisbane was there. Every way the Swans looked, the Lions had them covered.
It would have been a terrible case of deja vu for the Swans, with the club now losing its past four Grand Finals since 2012. Three of them have been thrashings.
Where to start with Brisbane's band of heroes? It was a Lions' share: Lachie Neale, carrying an ankle injury, was sensational as he saluted with a flag in his third Grand Final attempt with 34 disposals and nine clearances.
Kai Lohmann lit the fuse early and finished with four and Callum Ah Chee kept the flame alive throughout with four majors. Will Ashcroft, having missed last year's decider with his knee injury, was superb and showed again he is a champion in the making with 30 disposals and a goal. Joe Daniher is considering retirement but showed he is at the top of his game, with only inaccuracy potentially costing him a Norm Smith Medal.
But where the Lions were hot, Sydney brought the cold. It was difficult to find a winner for the Swans, who had their star-studded midfield nullified, their forward line shut down and their back half picked apart.
Katy Perry started the day with a roar, but the Lions added a mighty to it. Sydney struck first with the opening two goals, the first from Will Hayward and the second a superb snap from Tom Papley. But that mini lead didn't quite sum up the contest after the Lions' early inaccuracy.
Lohmann quickly changed that. The eye-catching Lion kicked their first, and then their second a minute later on his left foot to give Brisbane the energy it needed, his tongue-out celebration a spirit boost to match his side's ascendancy.
They continued to control the play with their uncontested marking game as Hugh McCluggage cruised into a third goal, with the gun midfielder tallying nine opening-quarter disposals.
James Rowbottom's long set shot was a steadier for the Swans, who were preferring their shorter forward targets than their key position options, but Charlie Cameron's snap from the boundary – and subsequent bow to the crowd – restored Brisbane's eight-point lead at the first change.
Brisbane's premiership was won in an exhilarating second quarter. The Lions kicked seven goals to one for the term and they came from everywhere as the Swans, for the second time in three years, were pounded.
Lohmann kicked his third from the pocket, Cameron spotted Daniher cleverly for another, Ah Chee's brilliant finals series continued with two for the term, Jarrod Berry capitalised on Nick Blakey's turnover to slot a long goal and Eric Hipwood kicked one of the great Grand Final goals from the boundary line after dodging Dane Rampe, slotting the goal and reprising three-time Lions premiership star Jason Akermanis' pseudo shocked celebration afterwards.
When Logan Morris booted their 11th, the Lions had leapt to a 46-point lead for half-time as their youth, speed and hardened run into the flag decider proved beneficial.
Where the Lions' big names and lesser lights all stood up – from first-year player Morris to champion two-time Brownlow medallist Neale – Sydney couldn't find a winner as its midfield was battered, its defence under siege and forward line ineffective.
Party time started early as Neale continued to dominate the midfield battle in the third quarter, with Daniher also showing up the Swans defence. If it is to be Daniher's last game of an enigmatic career – the 30-year-old is weighing his future – then he went out on a high, kicking 2.4 but proving pivotal to the Lions.
His forward presence, as well as important around-the-ground ruck efforts, helped a fleet of smaller Lions capitalise time after time.
Lions fans spent most of the second half rejoicing, as more highlights came their way: the Cam Rayner hanger, Ah Chee enjoying a day out, one last Lohmann flying grab and, of course, a Daniher left-foot snap to close things out. The pride of Brisbane town – and beyond.
SYDNEY 3.1 4.3 5.4 9.6 (60)
BRISBANE 4.3 11.7 16.11 18.12 (120)
GOALS
Sydney: Parker 3, Warner, Rowbottom, Papley, Heeney, Hayward, Fox
Brisbane: Lohmann 4, Ah Chee 4, Morris 2, Daniher 2, Rayner, McCluggage, Hipwood, Cameron, Berry, Ashcroft
INJURIES
Sydney: McDonald (ankle)
Brisbane: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Braeden Campbell (replaced Logan McDonald in the third quarter)
Brisbane: Conor McKenna (replaced Logan Morris in the final quarter)
Crowd: 100,013 at the MCG
Patrick Cripps: 2024 AFL Brownlow Medal Winner
CARLTON captain Patrick Cripps has won the 2024 Brownlow Medal with a record tally, becoming the 17th player in VFL/AFL history to win the prestigious award multiple times after adding to his 2022 triumph in an historic count on Monday night.
Cripps, who was in the medal-winning position from round six, polled an incredible 45 votes to win from Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos on 38, with the Magpies' brilliant onballer also breaking the previous record of 36.
Cripps was confirmed as the winner at round 21, polling three votes against Collingwood to ensure he could not be passed. When Daicos polled two votes in round 22, Cripps was declared the outright winner with two rounds to go.
It was an historic night as Carlton's inspirational leader smashed through the 40-vote mark and broke the previous record jointly held by Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines (2021) and Richmond champion and 2017 winner Dustin Martin.
Port Adelaide midfielder Zak Butters (29, Fremantle vice-captain Caleb Serong (28), and Greater Western Sydney midfielder Tom Green (27) rounded out the top five, with Sydney's ineligible superstar Isaac Heeney polling 28 votes.
It was Cripps who always had their measure, however, after establishing an eight-vote lead at round 16 and leaning on a strong finish to the season to see off the charging Daicos, who polled in a record 10 consecutive games from round eight to 18.
Cripps joined champion midfielders Chris Judd and Greg Williams as dual medallists to have represented Carlton, but he became the first to win two Brownlow Medals as a Blue.
The crowning night capped off an outstanding season for the 29-year-old, who played every game and averaged 28.8 disposals, 8.0 clearances, 15.7 contested possessions, and 4.8 inside 50s, earning All Australian selection for the fourth time.
The 29-year-old accepted his medal from coach and 2006 winner Michael Voss and spoke about growing up in Northampton in Western Australia, looking up to West Coast superstars Ben Cousins and Chris Judd and dreaming of joining them as a Brownlow Medal winner.
"They probably inspired me to chase my dream, and now I'm in a position to inspire other young kids, and I don't take that lightly," Cripps said.
"I'm just someone who wants to chase my dreams and I love doing it. Now I know the impact I've had on young kids coming through, it's pretty special.
"All kids out there, or anyone in general, if you get after it in life and have a dream and work hard at it, you can do amazing things. Life is short, so get after it."
Cripps also paid tribute to the support of his wife Monique after the couple became parents to daughter Koda this year, with the midfielder happy and settled off the field in his 11th season.
He said his parents, Brad and Cath, had instilled great values in him that he carried still after being drafted with pick No.13 in the 2013 National Draft.
Last year's medallist Lachie Neale was considered a contender to go back-to-back but never got on a roll, finishing on 22 votes as he prepares for Saturday's Grand Final.
Heeney, who was ineligible to win after being suspended for striking in round 17, was atop the leaderboard for five weeks during the first half of the season but only polled seven votes after round 10.
Heeney and well ahead of Daicos (four) and Neale (two), who were expected to start slowly.
Daicos was entering a five-game block of outstanding form, however, and emerged with 13 of a possible 15 votes, rising to third with 17 votes to put himself back in the race.
Cripps was shaping as unstoppable, however, having kept his tally ticking over with three best afield matches to secure an outright lead after round 12 with 22 votes.
He was never headed from there, polling the maximum three votes six more times in the last 10 games to win in commanding style.
2024 Brownlow Medal, Top 10
Patrick Cripps - 45
Nick Daicos - 38
Zak Butters - 29
Caleb Serong - 28
Isaac Heeney* - 28
Tom Green - 27
Adam Treloar - 26
Errol Gulden - 25
Matt Rowell - 25
Jai Newcombe - 24
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