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

NEW YORK (AP) — 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.

“I’ve been manifesting this moment for awhile, There’s no feeling like it,” Breanna Stewart said. “Credit to Minnesota, they gave us a tough series. The fans have been amazing everywhere we’ve gone. To bring a championship to New York, first ever in franchise history it’s an incredible feeling. I can’t wait to continue to celebrate with the city. It’s going to be bonkers.”

Jonquel Jones scored 17 points to lead New York, which was one of the original franchises in the league. The Liberty made the WNBA Finals five times before, losing each one, including last season. This time they wouldn’t be denied, although it took an extra five minutes.

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.

“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.

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Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) drives against New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones, left, holds up the MVP award after the Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) reacts after being given the MVP Award after winning the championship against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Lynx during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after the Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series to win the WNBA championship, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

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)

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)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Lynx during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) puts up a shot against Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) during the first quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) drives up the court against Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) during the first quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Nyara Sabally (8) grabs control of a rebound against Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith (8) during the first quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) goes up for a shot against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the first quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith (8) puts up a shot against New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during the first quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) is fouled by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the first quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) drives against Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) reacts during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series against the Minnesota Lynx, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) and Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) battle for a loose ball during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Minnesota Lynx forward Cecilia Zandalasini (9) battles for a loose ball against New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, left, and guard Sabrina Ionescu, right, during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts in overtime of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series against the Minnesota Lynx, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) celebrates their victory over the New York Liberty after Game 4 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Lynx won 82-80, forcing a Game 5 in the series. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after missing a shot at the buzzer during the second half of Game 4 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Lynx won 82-80, forcing a Game 5 in the series. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) reacts after defeating the New York Liberty after Game 4 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Lynx won 82-80, forcing a Game 5 in the series. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel group intensified in eastern Congo in recent days ahead of much anticipated peace talks on Sunday, the army said.

Congo's army accused the M23 of killing 12 civilians earlier this week in villages of the Lubero territory in the eastern province of North-Kivu in a statement on Friday. An M23 spokesperson told The Associated Press it denied the accusation, discrediting it as “propaganda” from Congo's government.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, in a conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. More than 7 million people have been displaced.

Congo and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of backing M23. Rwanda denies the claim, but in February admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.

Last month, Congo and Rwanda’s foreign ministers agreed on the terms and conditions of the disengagement of Rwandan forces in eastern Congo.

In July, Congo signed a ceasefire with M23 that came into effect in August, but fighting has resumed since. Earlier this month, the United States said it was “gravely concerned” by ceasefire violations by M23 rebels.

The intensification of fighting comes as Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame are set to meet Sunday in Angola, which has been mediating the conflict. It will be their first official meeting since last year.

Aline Kasereka, a mother of six living in Lubero, a town 50 kilometers (30 miles) away from the villages where the fighting took place earlier this week, said the peace talks are urgently needed.

“We are tired of the war, every day we move, we do not know in which country we are anymore," Kasereka told the AP. "Our authorities have to sit on the negotiation table and find a solution because we want to return to our normal life," she added.

Henry Pacifique, analyst for the Kivu Security Barometer research project, says he remains pessimistic about the outcome of the summit.

"It seems like Angola is trying to force Congo and Rwanda to participate, while both parties continue to make the other the scapegoat to justify future violations of the agreement,” he said.

FILE - M23 rebels stand with theirs weapons in Kibumba, in the eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)