In the middle of a decisive Game 3 in the WNBA semifinals, Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese needed to be separated from New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu as they confronted each other.
During the second quarter of the contest, Ionescu tried setting a hard screen on Atlanta’s Isabel Borlase.
Officials saw Ionescu shove the Dream guard and called a foul. But Reese decided to stick up for her teammate.
Reese ran over to Ionescu from 25 feet away and began yelling at her, saying: ‘Don’t do that, don’t do that.’
Her teammate, Rhyne Howard, got between the two players, leading to Ionescu shoving Howard’s hand away.
Other players got involved as well before the pair went their separate ways and cooler heads prevailed.
Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese got into a spat with Liberty rival Sabrina Ionescu
Teammate Rhyne Howard tried to separate the two players to keep the peace
Reese and the Dream beat the Liberty in a series sweep to secure their spot in the Finals
It was just one chippy moment in a game full of them as the Liberty required a victory to stay alive in the WNBA Playoffs.
However, the Dream eked out yet another close win to topple the Liberty 85-83 and take the series in a sweep.
‘I manifested this,’ Reese said after the game as she secured her first ever WNBA Finals appearance.
‘When I came to Atlanta I knew what I was getting. This team poured so much into me, we poured so much into each other.’
Reese led the team with 22 points along with nine rebounds and three assists. Howard chipped in with 21 points of her own and Jordin Canada grabbed 19 points.
The Liberty were led by a pair of 26 point performances from Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, both of whom played 39 of the evening’s 40 minutes.
The Dream have made their first WNBA Finals since 2013 and are aiming for their first win. Atlanta will play the winner of the series between the Golden State Valkyries and the Las Vegas Aces.
