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ATLANTA — With Angel Reese on the free-throw line in a one-possession game with 4.3 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night, the Liberty were looking for answers.
Breanna Stewart asked official Kevin Fahy if the Liberty had a reset timeout, which would allow New York to advance the ball to the frontcourt and potentially make substitutions. She said she asked another official, too.
Fahy wasn’t entirely sure. He said he’d check with the scorer’s table. The Liberty were told no.
New York’s final attempt fell short. Stewart’s 3-pointer was off the mark. The Liberty ultimately fell to the Atlanta Dream 101-98, putting New York’s season on life support.
The Liberty, now trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five semifinals, learned after the game they had a reset timeout after all and could’ve advanced the ball on the final possession.
“This is not blaming the refs, but when I ask both refs if we have a reset timeout at the end and they tell us no, and then we leave the game with the reset timeout, it’s pretty frustrating,” said Stewart, who had 35 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. “Like yeah, OK, I kind of got a good look at the end, but would just love to have some clarity on that situation as well.”
Sabrina Ionescu said she also inquired about the reset timeout. So did members of coach Chris DeMarco’s staff.
All claimed to have been told they didn’t have one.
The league’s pool report, though, told a different story.
Crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens said there was “no direct communication” with New York’s staff about the reset timeout.
Asked why Stewart was told they didn’t have one, Cissoko-Stephens said, “Stewart was standing beside referee Fahy when he confirmed with his partner between Reese’s penalty free throws that New York did indeed have a reset timeout remaining.”
The officials nor the league offered any additional explanation when pressed.
Ionescu acknowledged an egregious officiating blunder “can cost the game for sure.”
“I just feel like that’s unacceptable for the fact that we asked multiple times and they were telling us no,” Ionescu said. “So I mean, nothing we can do about it now. Mistakes happen, but obviously that’s a costly mistake.”
The Liberty submitted an inquiry with the league immediately after the game, a source told The Post.
Leonie Fiebich didn’t blame officiating for the loss.
“It sounds like a big drama, but I don’t think that’s the reason why we lost,” Fiebich said. “Of course, it’s unfortunate, but I think we could have won before that, didn’t let it come that far.”
The Dream knew the Liberty were going to come out guns blazing after Atlanta won Game 1. New York called Wednesday a “must-win.”
Game 2 featured 17 lead changes and eight ties.
Rookie Marine Fauthoux drained a game-tying 3 with 9.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Rhyne Howard’s potential game-winner rolled off the rim.
The teams needed an extra five minutes to determine the winner. But the final minute of overtime featured some costly errors.
With the Liberty trailing by one, Jonquel Jones tried to back her way into the paint, but was swarmed by three Dream players, forcing a jump ball with 14.1 seconds left.
New York retained possession, but the Liberty’s hopes of tying the series flew off with Ionescu’s errant pass into the second row.
There’s no guarantee if the Liberty used a reset timeout that the final possession would have yielded a different outcome. But New York was peeved by the error.
After the game, Ionescu accepted fault for her shaky performance.
“This loss is on me,” said Ionescu, who missed four of her six free- throw attempts. “I got to take it on the chin and I got to be better.”
The Liberty’s luck may be running out. New York made history with an impressive sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round.
But the Liberty came to Atlanta to face a red-hot Dream team.
Atlanta hasn’t lost since before the FIBA break. Wednesday extended the team’s win streak to eight.
No WNBA team has ever overcome a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series. The Liberty will return to Brooklyn for a win-or-go-home Game 3 on Friday.
“Quick turnaround,” Stewart said. “Knowing that we’re not focused on winning three straight right now. We’re focused on winning one game, and that’s Friday.”
