Canadians Abroad: Nayo and Nurse Light Up the Liberty in New York, 6/28/19
In the 2019 WNBA season, Canadians Kia Nurse and Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe both suited up for the New York Liberty. Their familiarity would be a plus for team unity, which would be all-important in the more heated match-ups, such as their June 28th inter-conference visit from the Dallas Wings.
The season was a month old and both of these teams had won three games so far, but those who weren't expecting much from the two in this one were in for a big surprise.
Behind Kayla Thronton, Dallas had an early six-point lead, to which New York responded with eight in a row to go up by two. Kia Nurse's first points of the game were also the last of the quarter for the Liberty, but a late shot from Megan Gustafson saw the Wings trail by 18-15.
Kaela Davis made it a one-point game just after the start of Q2, but after four in a row from Nurse, New York were leading by a more comfortable margin of five. Theresa Plaisance and Azura Stevens began a three-point streak which put Dallas back in front.
Tina Charles and Asia Durr responded for New York and Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe put them by four, then grabbed a rebound and handed it off to Nurse for a layup. Arike Ogunbowale threatened late in the quarter for Dallas, but a late three from Charles gave the Liberty a comfortable six-point advantage at the half-time buzzer.
Thornton opened the second half with two layups for the Wings, which Ogunbowale followed with a three, tying the scoreline after three minutes. After Thornton then put the Wings up with a three of her own, Nurse responded in kind, giving a two-point lead to New York.
Ogunbowale put Dallas back in front with five successive points, the Wings' lead stood at five after a layup from Isabelle Harrison three minutes from the quarter's end. In the last minute Nurse drew a foul off of Davis and made it a one-possession game from the line. At the third-quarter buzzer, Dallas led 55-52, the game still very much hanging in the balance.
Durr and Allisha Gray hit threes for the Liberty and Wings respectively, but it was Dallas who were continuing to add to the scoreline. Nurse was able to cut into the Dallas lead as the visitors went cold down the stretch. Gray finally tied the scores in the final stretch, then put New York up by one in the final thirty seconds.
Ogunbowale missed three attempts to save the game for Dallas, leaving the New York Liberty the victors in this tense match-up by the final score 69-68.
While Raincock-Ekunwe made only one basket in the game, Nurse was the leader for the Liberty with 17 points. The leaders on their supporting cast were Tina Charles with 15 points and Reshanda Gray who scored 13 and grabbed 11 total rebounds. Kayla Thornton was the game's top scorer with 20 points for Dallas while Theresa Plaisance also had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
It was a night to forget for the Dallas Wings, but for the Kia Nurse, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe and the rest New York Liberty, as well as WNBA fans, it was one of the highlight games of the season.
Picture: Steven Freeman
