NFL
By: Nick Andre
WNBA All-Star Weekend is official as the world witnessed the best players take center stage in Saturday night’s showdown. The All-Star game represents the hard work and dedication players make to be the best versions of themselves. Through the first half of the WNBA season, many of these players shined bright with huge performances to lead their teams to a win. Let’s reflect on three big performances through the first half of the 2023 WNBA season.
Stewie Scores 45 in Home Debut
During the off-season, Breanna Stewart signed with the New York Liberty, teaming up alongside notable players like Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney, and others. The headline of the WNBA season was which super team was superior between the Liberty and the defending champion, Las Vegas Aces. After falling in their season opener against the Washington Mystics, the Liberty had a chance to regroup in their home opener against the Indiana Fever.
Stewart set the tone early with her perimeter shooting. She did a great job of spotting up and anticipating the pass whenever wings drove and kicked it out to her. Let’s also not forget Stewart’s ability to rim run and find easy opportunities at the basket. In the first quarter, she was unconscious offensively and she never cooled off at any moment in the game.
The Liberty had momentum the entire way led by Stewart, which led to a 90-73 victory over the Fever. Their star player made her mark with a career-high 45 points on 15-21 shooting. Great players know how to bounce back after a subpar performance. While Stewart led the way offensively, the Liberty were able to win their first game of the regular season.
Jewell Loyd Vs Arike Ogunbowale: Notre Dame Showdown
I’m sure Lady Irish Head Coach Niele Ivey was somewhere watching this game smiling. The Seattle Storm were on the road to take on the Dallas Wings. The contest featured an offensive showdown between two of the best shotmakers in basketball in Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale. With both teams looking to have the edge, their star players needed to shine bright.
Both players stepped up to the plate offensively when their teams needed them the most. The beauty of both Loyd and Ogunbowale is they can score in multiple ways. For Ogunbowale, she has a deadly step back three while going to her left. As she makes her move, she quickly dribbles in and out to create separation between her and her defender. Once she shifts her defender, there’s no recovering as she has a quick release to let her shot off. M
As for Loyd, she’s a smooth operator with the basketball in her hand. The beauty of her offense is defenders have to stay attached to her body as she can play with or without the basketball. Loyd is very efficient from all three levels of the floor. She shoots the ball with confidence and shows the strength to absorb contact and still knock down shots.
Loyd and the Storm had the edge through most of the contest. Despite the team’s subpar record, the team communicated effectively on both ends and executed to perfection. In the end, it was the Storm who got a road victory in a 109-103 win. Loyd finished the contest with 39 points while Ogunbowale finished with 41. As of today, the contest remains the best-scoring duel so far in the WNBA season.
Rhyne Howard 43 Pts Vs Sparks
The 2023 WNBA All-Star reserves were announced on July 1 which featured Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray and center Cheyenne Parker. However, there was one member of the Dream that was snubbed off the list. Rhyne Howard has been the driving force of the Dream and the reason behind their early season success. With her being left off the All-Star team, it certainly put a chip on her shoulder.
The next day, the Dream hosted the Sparks in a contest where they wanted to capitalize off their momentum from their previous game against the Washington Mystics. In the first quarter, Howard came out firing as she showed her efficiency from the three-point line while also creating around the mid-range. She took advantage of the Sparks defending her in single coverage and went to work on each possession. Howard’s rhythm continued to carry over through the rest of the contest as she finished with 43 points on 70 percent shooting.
Howard’s offensive explosion not only lit a fire under her but the entire team as well. They finished the first half of the season with a six-game winning streak while defeating other teams like the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm. It’s safe to say that the Dream’s recent success played a role in why Howard became a replacement All-Star for the injured Elena Delle Donne.
