You could barely hear the buzzer over the noise inside the Moda Center after the Portland Fire delivered a last-second winner that secured the franchise’s first victory in history. A new expansion team, in just their second official game, staging a comeback that was sealed with a buzzer-beater against a team like the New York Liberty was beyond wild.
Speaking on the exact moment the ball went in to seal the game, Head Coach Alex Sarama described it as a “surreal feeling” during his postgame interview. But in the midst of all that excitement, he was seen quickly leaving the court. Now, he revealed why.
“Just like sheer elation in the moment and just so proud for the players,” Sarama said in the post-game conference. “And then I wanted it to be their moment, that’s why I left. You know, I got off the court pretty quick because it’s all about them. And I’m just so proud of what we did tonight.”
This victory was unexpected, given the massive gap in team caliber and how much the game defied expectations. The Portland Fire is a first-year expansion team with rookies and players left unprotected during the expansion process. The New York Liberty, on the other hand, entered the game with a loaded roster anchored by former MVP Breanna Stewart and All-Stars like Jonquel Jones.
Early on, the Liberty really looked firmly in control. They built a seven-point halftime lead and were still ahead after the third quarter. However, in the fourth quarter, the Fire staged a comeback. In fact, they tied the game four different times in the final five minutes.
Then, on the final play, Sarah Ashlee Barker slipped past the defense to put back a missed three-pointer at the horn. As Head Coach Sarama said, “That was just special seeing what they did tonight.”
Portland had lost its season opener 98-83 to the Chicago Sky. But despite that defeat, the team still showed major promise. Now, with this win, they will walk into their next game with far more confidence. Interestingly, the coming matchup is a quick do-over against the New York Liberty.
Do you think they can somehow pull off another win?
Portland Fire HC Alex Sarama Says Team Executed Game Plan Perfectly in Comeback Win Over New York Liberty
While it might sound like a broad statement, Alex Sarama did go on to touch on some specific talking points from the game that highlighted exactly what that game plan involved. According to him, the team displayed some really efficient shooting throughout the night. But most especially, one major focus was getting Bridget Carleton the ball more in scoring areas, something Sarama believed they executed really well.
“We were looking at how can we get her the ball more in scoring areas where she can still get great quality shots,” Sarama said. “And it was just the way she responded, incredible.” And, of course, Carleton led the team with 26 points.
Beyond that, the defensive side of the game was another area that was particularly impressive for Alex Sarama, especially from Bridget Carleton. “And not just that, but the defense, like multiple possessions where she was locking Stewie down. Came up with four steals,” Sarama added. And the overall defensive game plan, a core part of which involved neutralizing former MVP Breanna Stewart, worked really well, too. The Portland Fire held Stewart to just four points in the first half.
Overall, for Alex Sarama, this victory was a complete collective effort. It was one where every player played their role in executing the game plan perfectly. It will be interesting to see what kind of game plan he comes up with for the next matchup. And whether that plan can help the Portland Fire pull off another win.
