Fiebich and Sabally are threatened with a final nightmare

Despite a strong performance from German national basketball player Leonie Fiebich, the New York Liberty missed their first chance to win the WNBA title. In the fourth game of the final series, the team around Fiebich and Nyara Sabally lost to the Minnesota Lynx 80:82. This means that the decisive fifth final will take place in New York on Sunday; the winner of the game is the champion of the US women’s league.

Fiebich scored 19 points for the guests, who would have won their first title early with a success in Minnesota. The best Liberty thrower was Jonquel Jones with 21 points. Sabally contributed four points. At Minnesota, Kayla McBride had the best result with 19 points.

Unlike the previous games in the series, game four was close throughout, with no team leading by more than six points. The lead changed 14 times. In the end, two free throws by Bridget Carleton with two seconds left decided the game for the Lynx. New York star Sabrina Ionescu missed the basket with a three-point shot in the final attack.

Liberty fights endgame curse

The Liberty is threatened with the next final nightmare. The founding member of the best women’s basketball league in the world is in the final for the sixth time; the team has never won the title before. New York finished the main round as the best team ahead of the Lynx, who could become the WNBA’s sole record winner with their fifth triumph.

For the last time this year, three wins are enough to win the title. Starting next season, the final series will be played in best-of-seven mode, like in the NBA. For Fiebich and Sabally, the championship would be the crowning achievement of an outstanding year after a strong season in the WNBA and the Olympic premiere with the German national team.

© dpa