Tempo Beat Liberty 93-91 on Sabally’s Late Layup
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The Toronto Tempo beat the New York Liberty 93-91 on Sunday after Nyara Sabally scored the deciding layup with 51.8 seconds left at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
Toronto had led by 16 points entering the fourth quarter, lost the entire advantage and then recovered in the final minute after New York tied the game at 91.
Sabally supplied the basket Toronto needed
Breanna Stewart tied the game with a layup at the 1:30 mark, completing a New York comeback from an 80-64 deficit after three quarters.
Toronto missed two shots on its next possession but retained the ball through offensive work around the rim.
Pauline Astier then lost possession, New York failed to turn the opening into a lead, and Toronto came back to Sabally.
Julie Allemand found her cutting inside. Sabally finished the layup with 51.8 seconds remaining for the final points of the game.
Sabrina Ionescu missed a 32-foot three on New York’s next possession.
After Sabally missed a short jumper, Stewart secured the rebound and the Liberty used a timeout. Stewart then missed a nine-foot hook with 10.6 seconds left, ending the final clear chance.
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Toronto nearly gave away a dominant third quarter
The Tempo won the first quarter 24-19 and carried a 47-39 lead into halftime.
Their best stretch came after the break.
Toronto scored 33 points in the third quarter and entered the fourth ahead 80-64. Marina Mabrey controlled the pace, Laura Juskaite finished efficiently and the Tempo repeatedly created cleaner attempts than New York.
The game then reversed.
New York scored 27 points in the fourth while holding Toronto to 13. Ionescu attacked the rim, Stewart reached the line and the Liberty’s pressure created several Toronto mistakes.
Toronto had already committed too many turnovers, and the late collapse made every one of them feel larger.
The expansion Tempo survived because they had built enough of a lead and still produced one composed half-court action in the final minute.
Mabrey won the scoring duel
Mabrey scored 30 points on 9-for-19 shooting.
She added five assists, made three three-pointers and converted nine of 11 free throws.
Her six turnovers showed the pressure New York generated, but Toronto’s offense still flowed through her creation. Mabrey scored in transition, attacked gaps and drew enough fouls to keep the Tempo ahead during uneven stretches.
Ionescu answered with 28 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three steals.
She shot 9-for-18 overall and 3-for-7 from three, becoming the only Liberty player to make multiple shots from beyond the arc.
Stewart added 22 points and eight rebounds, but she shot 8-for-21 and missed the final attempt.
Jonquel Jones finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
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Team statistics
| Statistic | New York | Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 91 | 93 |
| Field goals | 33-76 | 34-66 |
| Field-goal percentage | 43.4% | 51.5% |
| Three-pointers | 5-26 | 9-24 |
| Three-point percentage | 19.2% | 37.5% |
| Free throws | 20-22 | 16-18 |
| Rebounds | 42 | 37 |
| Assists | 16 | 22 |
| Steals | 11 | 10 |
| Turnovers | 17 | 23 |
Toronto won despite committing six more turnovers.
The Tempo compensated by shooting eight percentage points better overall and making four more three-pointers.
New York controlled the glass and created more possessions, but 5-for-26 shooting from three prevented the Liberty from converting that advantage into a lead.
Quarter-by-quarter score
| Quarter | New York | Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| First | 19 | 24 |
| Second | 20 | 23 |
| Third | 25 | 33 |
| Fourth | 27 | 13 |
| Final | 91 | 93 |
Toronto’s third quarter created the margin.
New York’s fourth quarter nearly erased it.
The contrasting periods explain the game better than the two-point final score. Toronto’s offense was sharper for most of the afternoon, while the Liberty’s urgency arrived after the deficit had become severe.
Juskaite and Allemand gave Mabrey structure
Laura Juskaite scored 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting.
She also added four rebounds, three assists and three steals, though foul trouble and six turnovers complicated an otherwise efficient performance.
Maria Conde scored 15 points and made three three-pointers.
Allemand finished with 10 assists, five rebounds and only one turnover. Her pass to Sabally for the winner was the clearest example of how she organised Toronto’s half-court offense.
Sabally contributed 13 points and seven rebounds from the bench.
Her role grew in the final minutes when Toronto needed size, rebounding and a finisher who could work around the rim.
The Liberty’s outside shooting decided the ceiling of the comeback
New York did enough defensively to recover.
The Liberty forced 23 turnovers and held Toronto to 13 fourth-quarter points. Those numbers normally create a path to victory.
The missing element was outside shooting.
New York made only five three-pointers in 26 attempts. Stewart went 0-for-3, Jones went 1-for-5 and the bench combined for one made three.
Ionescu’s late miss came from deep range because the clock and Toronto’s defense reduced New York’s options.
The shot was not the only reason the Liberty lost, but it reflected the problem that had followed them through the game.
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What the result changes
Toronto ended a four-game losing streak and improved to 10-13.
For an expansion team, beating the defending-level talent on New York’s roster provided a useful proof point even with the messy finish.
The Liberty fell to 13-11.
New York showed it can create late pressure and erase a large deficit, but the loss added another example of an offense becoming too dependent on difficult individual attempts when perimeter shooting disappears.
Toronto’s next step is learning to close without requiring a final-possession rescue.
New York’s is producing the fourth-quarter urgency before the game has moved 16 points away.
💭 TheTrendsWire's Take
Toronto’s win was built in the third quarter and saved in the final minute. Mabrey created the scoring base, Allemand managed the offense and Sabally finished the decisive play. New York’s comeback exposed the Tempo’s late-game weakness, but 19.2% three-point shooting kept the Liberty from completing it.
TL;DR
- Toronto beat New York 93-91 in Montreal.
- Nyara Sabally scored the winning layup with 51.8 seconds left.
- Marina Mabrey led all scorers with 30 points.
- Sabrina Ionescu scored 28 points with eight assists.
- Toronto led 80-64 after three quarters.
- New York shot only 5-for-26 from three.
Sources
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