Rookie Monique Akoa Makani scored a career-high 21 points, and the Phoenix Mercury extended their winning streak to four games Thursday night with an 89-81 victory over the New York Liberty, who were handed their first home loss this season.
Akoa Makani shot 8-of-12 from the field and surpassed her previous career high of 14 points set May 23 at Seattle. Alyssa Thomas produced a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds to go along with seven assists for the Mercury (10-4), who withstood a season-high 35 points from New York star Breanna Stewart.
Sami Whitcomb hit four 3s and added 16 for Phoenix, which shot 41.7 percent. Satou Sabally contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, and Kitija Laksa chipped in 13 points as the Mercury countered missing 24 of 31 3-point tries by shooting 81.5 percent (22-of-27) at the foul line.
Stewart scored 18 points in the third but had little help as the Liberty (10-2) lost for the second time in three games. Sabrina Ionescu added 16 points but shot 3-of-16, including 1-of-10 from 3-point range, as New York shot 42.6 percent and missed 18 of 26 3-point tries.
New York also lost Jonquel Jones to an ankle injury in the second quarter after she stepped on Whitcomb’s foot under the basket.
Akoa Makani’s basket gave the Mercury a 53-49 lead with 5:48 left, but the Liberty capitalized on consecutive Phoenix technical fouls, and Stewart’s drive gave them a 55-54 lead with 5:21 left.
The lead grew to 60-54 on a basket by Marine Johannes with 4:42 left, and New York settled for a 65-64 lead into the fourth after Stewart sank a 19-footer with six seconds left. Akoa Makani sank a 19-footer to snap a 68-68 tie with 7:21 left, and Laksa hit a jumper for a 76-70 lead nearly two minutes later.
After Nyara Sabally’s layup got the Liberty within two points at the 4:51 mark, Whitcomb sank a 3, and Akoa Makani hit a 12-footer for an 81-74 lead. The Mercury opened a 10-point lead on Whitcomb’s fourth 3 with 3:10 left and finished it off by hitting five throws the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
