Deeper, more athletic and getting balanced scoring and solid bench play from some unlikely sources, the Liberty are enjoying some of the fruits of their offseason basketball makeover.
The upstart Liberty, undefeated at home, begin a daunting four-game road trip tonight in Minnesota, looking to continue playing the same type of team basketball that saw them topple the defending WNBA champions last week. After tonight’s game against the Lynx, the Liberty travel to Charlotte, Houston and San Antonio in an early test of their road mettle after struggling out of the gate a year ago. But as we have seen already, this certainly is not last year.
The Liberty (2-1) have gotten production out of several veteran players through three games, but are also beginning to see quality minutes being played by a couple of newer faces, too. Elena Baranova, a WNBA All-Star with Miami in 2001, is having a renaissance in a Liberty jersey, playing better in the first three games of this season than she did all of last year, her first with the team.
“She’s giving us great basketball,” coach Richie Adubato said. “This year, she understands a lot better what we’re doing.”
Baranova, a 6-5 center, put up double-doubles in her first two games this season and is coming off a dynamic performance in a 64-52 win over Detroit in which she recorded five assists and five blocks to go with nine rebounds and 11 points. In that win, the Liberty had five players in double figures, and got significant help off the bench from first-year player DeTrina White (eight boards in 20 minutes of play).
“They’re gonna love her here,” Adubato said, “because she’s like our Charles Barkley. She’s only 5-11, but you see the competitiveness she plays with . . . she plays big.”
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Adubato said dispersal draft pick Ann Wauters will join the team in Charlotte.