On Wednesday, reigning WNBA champs, The Las Vegas Aces, defeated The New York Liberty in the best out of five series for the WNBA championship.
The Aces, up 2-1, went into the game with high hopes, while Liberty were the underdogs.
Las Vegas Aces win in thrilling fashion
The game was a thriller and had fans on the edge of their seats. The unlikely win was made even more impressive with the Aces trailing 39-30 during halftime. However, they managed to stay focus and come back after halftime, outscoring the Liberty 23-12 in the third quarter.
It went down to the wire, with the Liberty’s Courtney Vanderslooth having the ball for the finally possession. With their starting guard missing a game-winning jumper, the Las Vegas Aces were able to secure the 70-69 victory.
After the confetti fell, forward A’ja Wilson, was named Finals MVP with a double double. She put up 24 points and 16 rebounds.
Wilson’s impressive stats carried the Aces to victory, especially with two of their starters, Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes, being out with foot injuries.
Aja Wilson says “a lot of people counted us out from jump”
With two of their best players injured, many fans doubted the Aces.However, Wilson said they’re always “ready when our name is called, and we kept the main thing, the main thing. This s— wasn’t easy at all. A lot of people counted us out. A lot of people counted us out from jump… that just fueled us.”
Wilson shared her excitement for her teammates after the comeback win, “We never gave up, and this is a moment that we need to celebrate. This is a moment that not a lot of people get, and for us to do it shorthanded, it is truly amazing. It just makes winning that much better.”
The Aces are setting records all over, as they are the first team in WNBA history to win a playoff game without many starters from the previous team.
The Las Vegas Aces became the first team in 20 years to win repeated titles. They join only the Houston Comets and Los Angeles Sparks.