The New York Liberty faced a unique challenge recently, navigating games without key starters Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich. This period served as an unexpected but valuable experiment, revealing the depth and adaptability of the team’s bench players. With Jones sidelined due to a sprained ankle and Fiebich away preparing for EuroBasket, opportunities arose for players like Nyara Sabally and Marine Johannès to step into larger roles. This article delves into how the Liberty adjusted their strategies, the impact of these absences on team performance, and the emergence of key contributions from the bench.
The absence of Jones and Fiebich, both integral to the Liberty’s defensive and offensive schemes, necessitated a reshuffling of lineups and a heightened reliance on reserves. While the team faced some struggles, particularly in a loss against the Indiana Fever, the experience highlighted the potential within the roster and fostered a sense of empowerment among the players. We’ll explore how Coach Brondello adjusted practice sessions to prepare for ‘funky lineups’ and how individual players seized the moment to showcase their skills.
From Sabally’s increased scoring and rebounding contributions to Johannès’s defensive efforts and improved decision-making, the Liberty’s bench players demonstrated resilience and a willingness to step up when needed. This article will analyze the statistical impact of Jones’s and Fiebich’s absences, examine the adjustments made by the coaching staff, and spotlight the individual performances that helped the Liberty weather this challenging stretch.
The Initial Impact of Jones’s Absence
Jonquel Jones’s absence was immediately felt on both ends of the court. Her scoring, rebounding, and defensive presence are cornerstones of the Liberty’s success. Without her, the team lost a key rim protector and a reliable offensive threat, particularly from beyond the arc, where she shoots an impressive 43.8%. Ionescu emphasized the disruption to team chemistry, noting the need to familiarize herself with different players during practice. “There’s players we haven’t played with, continuing to change those around in practice,” she said, highlighting the team’s effort to adapt to new dynamics.
The statistics reveal the extent of Jones’s impact. According to PBP Stats, the Liberty’s net rating plummets when Jones is off the floor. The defensive rating, in particular, sees a significant increase, indicating a greater vulnerability to opposing offenses. This data underscores Jones’s critical role in anchoring the Liberty’s defense and facilitating their ability to switch on ball screens without compromising size or athleticism.
Despite the challenges, the Liberty coaching staff saw Jones’s absence as an opportunity for other players to gain valuable experience and confidence. This approach aligns with a long-term vision of building a deep and versatile roster capable of withstanding injuries and adapting to various game situations. The focus shifted to empowering reserves and creating new offensive and defensive schemes that capitalized on their strengths.
In the game against the Indiana Fever, the Liberty struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm and were outrebounded, further emphasizing the void left by Jones. However, Coach Brondello remained optimistic, emphasizing the importance of learning from these experiences and using them as motivation for future improvement. The team’s commitment to adapting and finding new solutions reflected a resilient spirit and a determination to overcome adversity.
The Role of Leonie Fiebich and Her Absence
Leonie Fiebich’s versatility and perimeter shooting were sorely missed during her absence. Her ability to play multiple positions and knock down shots from deep added a unique dimension to the Liberty’s offense. Fiebich’s absence also affected the team’s defensive flexibility, as she is known for her ability to guard multiple positions effectively. A text message from Sabally to Fiebich, “Please come back,” underscored the team’s reliance on her multifaceted skillset.
Without Fiebich, the Liberty’s three-point shooting suffered, and the team’s offensive rating decreased. This decline highlights Fiebich’s importance in spacing the floor and creating open looks for Ionescu, Stewart, and Vandersloot. The absence of her reliable perimeter shooting forced the Liberty to rely more on inside scoring and contested shots, which proved less efficient.
Coach Brondello openly expressed her desire to have Fiebich back with the team, acknowledging her significant impact on the Liberty’s playing style. “Where do I start?” Brondello exclaimed when asked about Fiebich’s impact. She emphasized Fiebich’s ability to affect the game in numerous ways, echoing her sentiments about Jones’s absence. This sentiment underscored the importance of Fiebich’s all-around contributions to the team’s success.
The statistics further illustrate the impact of Fiebich’s absence. When both Jones and Fiebich are off the floor, the Liberty’s offensive and defensive ratings decline significantly, emphasizing their combined importance. While the team has managed to find some success with either Jones or Fiebich on the floor, the absence of both players creates a considerable challenge. This data highlights the need for the Liberty to develop alternative strategies and empower other players to fill the void left by these key contributors.
Nyara Sabally’s Opportunity to Shine
With Jones sidelined, Nyara Sabally seized the opportunity to step into the starting lineup and showcase her skills. Coming off her decision not to join Fiebich in Germany for EuroBasket, Sabally was able to pick up the first three starts of her WNBA career. Since returning from her two-and-a-half week absence in two games without Jones, and then two more without Fiebich, Sabally has averaged 9 points. She scores when she sees that the team needs her to, either by off-ball movement or when the ball is swung to her.
Against the Fever, Sabally contributed nine rebounds, a team high. Against better defenses, like Indiana and Atlanta, the Liberty began to miss more three-point looks and shoot with less proficiency. The lack of rebounds has been a source of worry for the Liberty throughout the 2025 season; they’re not exactly sure how they went from in rebounding percentage in 2024 to dropping all the way to overall this season.
Sabally’s increased playing time allowed her to demonstrate her versatility and athleticism, as well as her scoring. Sabally’s position coach Brian Lankton told The Next. “Something we worked on a lot last year, but didn’t get attempts, and just seeing the early confidence that she has in shooting these open threes is awesome to see.”
While Sabally’s game isn’t Jones’, she was productive in her own way. Defensively Jones has better tools to protect the rim, but Sabally’s ability to blow up an offensive set along with hand-eye coordination that allowed her to lunge into passing lanes proved to be invaluable.
Marine Johannès Steps Up
A player that has probably grown the most since Fiebich’s departure has been Johannès. Against both the Fever and the Dream, Johannès has picked her spots more than she did previously. She’s spent less time dribbling horizontally and then passing, and more time trying to create offensive opportunities when she finds openings. On Tuesday night, Johannès didn’t manage to hit one three, but she still finished the game with a +23, the highest plus/minus on the roster that evening.
Johannès’ first half against the Dream was rough. She turned the ball over three times and was a bit slow making decisions. But after talking out her frustrations with her teammates and Liberty director of player development Andrew Wade, her focus shifted from disappointment to how to help her team win the game.
But after a first half Johannès didn’t want to remember, she produced memorable defensive efforts and energy in the second. She was responsible for five of the Liberty’s second half rebounds, had a handful of deflections and was responsible for finding Stewart for a corner three that put the Liberty down just 5 points, after being down as many as 17.
Johannès won’t be Fiebich. She’s not over 6’4′ and she can’t defend almost any position like the German. But that doesn’t mean that Johannès can’t take on some of what the Liberty expect from a starting small forward. Especially in lineups where there are three guards, where Johannès is alongside Cloud and Ionescu, the Liberty need a player who is confident in her talent and athleticism, regardless of if the ball makes it into the basket.
Contributions from Burke and Gardner
With Jones and Fiebich out, many opportunities have opened up for Burke, who plays minutes both on the wing and in front court for New York. During one stretch, she hit seven straight threes, culminating in the Liberty’s 85-66 blowout win over the Sky. But though her shooting percentages have begun to even out, her value doesn’t only come when she makes baskets. According to Liberty assistant coach Sonia Raman, Burke is toward the top of the WNBA when it comes to close-out offense. That could mean she scores at the rim on a close out, or that she makes a decision that leads to a basket coming off an opponent closing out on her.
Since Fiebich’s departure, Gardner has struggled to successfully keep up with some of the best offensive players in the league. When Cloud has needed a breather after guarding potent offensive talent like and , Gardner was a step slower on her assignments and is smaller in stature than Fiebich. As a result, switching is a bit more difficult for the Liberty.
While Gardner started the season positively, providing energy and athleticism especially in transition off the bench, it’s worth remembering that the teams the Liberty played earlier this season weren’t constructed like Indiana and Atlanta. These are two teams with at least two elite perimeter talents to keep track of, rather than just one. Could this be Gardner’s new normal, coming off an achilles injury? It’s still too soon to tell, but something worth keeping an eye on.
These contributions highlight the importance of developing a deep and versatile roster. The ability to rely on multiple players to step up in key moments is crucial for long-term success, especially in a league with a demanding schedule and the potential for injuries.
Conclusion: The Liberty’s Resilience and Adaptability
The New York Liberty’s recent stretch of games without Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich provided a valuable opportunity to test the team’s depth and adaptability. While the absences of these key players undoubtedly presented challenges, the Liberty demonstrated resilience and a willingness to adjust their strategies. The emergence of players like Nyara Sabally and Marine Johannès, along with contributions from Burke and Gardner, showcased the potential within the roster and fostered a sense of empowerment among the bench players.
The statistical impact of Jones’s and Fiebich’s absences highlighted their importance to the Liberty’s overall success. However, the team’s ability to find ways to compete and even thrive in their absence underscores the strength of the Liberty’s coaching staff and the players’ commitment to adapting and improving. The lessons learned during this period will undoubtedly serve the Liberty well as they navigate the remainder of the season and strive for championship contention.
As Jones and Fiebich prepare to rejoin the team, the Liberty will be strengthened by the newfound confidence and experience gained by their bench players. The ability to rely on multiple contributors will make the Liberty a more dangerous and unpredictable opponent, capable of withstanding injuries and adapting to various game situations. The Liberty’s experiment without Jones and Fiebich ultimately revealed the team’s depth, resilience, and unwavering pursuit of excellence.
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