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New York’s Australian super-coach Sandy Brondello is close to earning her second WNBA title, ten years after her initial success as head coach of the Opals.
Brondello’s Liberty avenged their previous losses against the two-time defending champions Las Vegas Aces with a 76-62 victory, securing a 3-1 win in the semi-final series on Monday (AEDT).
They will now await the winner between Connecticut and Minnesota in the WNBA Finals starting on Friday, with the deciding fifth game of their semi-final series set for Wednesday.
Coming off a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, Brondello claimed her first WNBA title with Phoenix in 2014 during her debut season as head coach.
Having led New York to their sixth Finals appearance, Brondello is eager to secure their first championship after falling short in a one-sided finale against the Aces last season.
A four-time Olympian and three-time medalist with the Opals, Brondello is fueled by the desire to make up for the previous year’s disappointment.
“If you don’t win there’s no satisfaction there, is there?,” Brondello expressed about the Liberty’s determination to succeed.
Although she was knocked to the ground in a sideline collision with Jonquel Jones, Brondello found humor in the situation and quickly recovered.
“Jumped right back up didn’t I? Still got it,” Brondello joked. “I was a little embarrassed, I was like, ‘Oh, god do I dance? what do I do now?’.”
Encouraging Jones to overcome her frustrations and foul trouble, Brondello praised her for staying composed and making crucial plays during the game.
“It’s just about staying in the moment,” Brondello emphasized.
Sabrina Ionescu bounced back from a rare off game to score 22 points and end the Aces’ record 12-game home playoff winning streak.
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