Nyara Sabally Makes 1st Liberty Start With Jonquel Jones Out
The New York Liberty will officially have a couple of quacks in their starting lineup on Tuesday night.
Oregon alumna Nyara Sabally is making her first career WNBA start for the Liberty as they face the Chicago Sky in Commissioner's Cup pool play at Barclays Center. Sabally is starting in place of Jonquel Jones, who has been ruled out with an ankle injury.
Sabally herself is coming off a six-game absence after enduring a knee injury in the second game of the season. She was willing to label the lengthy departure as precautionary considering the medical interruptions her young career has endured, as she needed a few days off after receiving an injection in ailing knee.
In Liberty lore, Sabally is best-known for rising to the occasion during the clinching game last fall's WNBA Finals, which saw her score 13 points and pull in seven rebounds off the bench in the triumph over the Minnesota Lynx.
Jones was labeled "day-to-day" by head coach Sandy Brondello prior to Tuesday's game, mentioning that she was "making progress" but "not quite there." Jones left the opening period of Thursday's win in Washington with an ankle injury after she landed awkwardly on a shot attempt.
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.