Clock malfunction dooms Liberty

ACES 78

LIBERTY 76

The Liberty gave the Aces a run for their money.

The Liberty matched Las Vegas (6-2), the best rebounding team in the WNBA, nearly shot for shot and rebound for rebound in a tight game before falling, 78-76, looking nothing like the discombobulated young group it was two games ago.

With the score tied, 76-76, Aces’ two-time All-Star A’ja Wilson drove to the basket for a jumper, which put Las Vegas ahead by two with 6.9 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Liberty guard Kia Nurse missed a jumper from just inside the three-point line. The Liberty managed to grab the rebound with 2.1 seconds left, but following a chaotic series of events, could not tie the game.

The Aces argued that the Liberty stepped out of bounds after grabbing the rebound. Following an official’s review, Las Vegas received possession. But with 0.5 seconds left, the Aces stepped out of bounds, giving possession right back to the Liberty.

Layshia Clarendon inbounded the ball to rookie Leona Odom, who hit from inside the paint to tie the game, but the clock started too early and the buzzer went off before Odom even got the ball.

On their second attempt to tie the game, the Liberty tried to run the same play, but the Aces intercepted the pass. Game over.

“We executed that play — the one that the scorekeeper started the clock before the ball was touched… we should be fighting in overtime right now,” coach Walt Hopkins said minutes after the game. “I don’t know if it was the scoreboard malfunction or if it was actually the scorekeeper who started early, because it’s all automated. So, somebody made a really big mistake and stole the game from us.”

“What we really need to focus on… is all the growth,” Hopkins said.