It’s a testament to how much the Liberty and Aces wanted to win that they brought jitters with them in the Commissioner’s Cup final the other day. The first three and a half minutes of the match didn’t seem like it featured the best of the best of the Women’s National Basketball Association; the 8,967-strong crowd was treated to 12 botched shots, two missed free throws, and two turnovers — with the score standing 0-0 all that time. Little wonder, then, that all and sundry heaved a sigh of relief when reigning Most Valuable Player awardee A’ja Wilson finally ended the drought with two charities, followed by a three-point basket courtesy of chief rival Breanna Stewart.
The Liberty and Aces would pick up on their shooting the rest of the way, albeit marginally, and nowhere near their pacesetting percentages from the field and stripe. Perhaps it was because, apart from the hardware, relatively major moolah was on the line: the winners stood to receive $30,000 each, thrice more than the prizes for the runners-up. Imagine Stewart hitting the side of the backboard on a corner three attempt, the easiest from anywhere behind the arc; she would wind up with a dreadful four-of-14 clip. Wilson was no better at two of 10, including one that missed the hoop entirely from point-blank range.
Nonetheless, there can be no doubting the desire of the Liberty and Aces. And though uglyball was evident for much of the set-to, it still had more than enough highlights for discerning fans. Reserve Marine Johannes was particularly transcendent, coming up with five treys and a midrange shot that carried a high degree of difficulty. There was likewise Three-Point Contest champion Sabrina Ionescu, who picked up steam in the crunch to seal the outcome. Which is to say stats are significant, but nothing beats the eye test when it comes to proving mettle under pressure.
When the battlesmoke cleared, the Liberty hoisted the trophy and celebrated the victory. After likewise making mincemeat of the Aces in their immediate past encounter, they have the bragging rights — that is, until they need to prove their worth anew when they meet their would-be foils again tomorrow. They’re confident of building on their success, though; they’re rounding into form, with their continually developing chemistry further underscoring their depth. And it’s no coincidence that their surge dovetails with Jonquel Jones’ own; slowed by a preseason injury, she’s back in the groove and proving true to prognoses on both ends of the court.
For the Liberty and the Aces, the real reckoning will come at the end of the 2023 campaign. And that’s assuming they will be able to carve a path to the title series. In the interim, they’ve got a lot of work to be done — starting tomorrow, when they engage in a staredown once more.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
