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Sabrina Ionescu brutally threatens ref vs Sparks, goes on a ‘T me’ rant - Watch
Sabrina Ionescu went after the referee, demanding a technical foul for herself during the New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks game
Sabrina Ionescu didn't hold back. The 27-year-old went after the referee, demanding a technical foul for herself during the New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks game at Barclays Center on Saturday. The visitors managed to score a narrow 101-99 win.
Ionescu's rant, 'T me up', started after the referee handed her teammate Jonquel Jones an illegal screen foul in the third quarter.
“Sabrina Ionescu was not asking to be T'd up - she was DEMANDING it 😂” one person reacted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. They also posted the dramatic video of the Liberty star yelling at the official.
Meanwhile, Rickea Jackson's layup at the buzzer lifted the Sparks to the last-second win against the Liberty, who lost star Breanna Stewart to a lower leg injury 3 minutes into the game.
Stewart had three points and a rebound before she left and went to the locker room.
Ionescu tallied 30 points, leveling the score at 99 with an elbow jumper with 23.1 seconds remaining. Los Angeles then drained the clock until Stephanie Talbot fouled Kelsey Plum with 5.9 seconds left. With one foul to give, the Liberty allowed the Sparks to inbound from the sideline.
Following a timeout, Jackson received the ball in the post and launched a desperation shot over her head just before the buzzer. She ended with 24 points, while Plum contributed 20 for the Sparks, who’ve now won five consecutive games.
The Liberty (17-7) trailed by 15 early in the third quarter but mounted a comeback. Ionescu’s three-point play at 2:18 left tied it at 95. After both teams traded baskets, Azura Stevens sank a layup with 1:03 remaining, putting the Sparks ahead 99-97.
Los Angeles (11-14) held a 15-point lead early in the third before New York fought back. The Liberty closed to 65-61, but Ionescu’s 3-pointer was disallowed due to an illegal screen by Jonquel Jones. Ionescu protested loudly, demanding a technical foul, which the referee granted.
New York entered the fourth quarter down 74-69 but rallied behind Natasha Cloud and Ionescu. Cloud scored 10 of her 22 points in the final period.
Los Angeles started strong, hitting 13 of 19 shots in the first quarter, including seven 3-pointers. Jackson led with 17 points in the opening frame as the Sparks took a 35-20 lead. They maintained momentum in the second, leading 58-45 at halftime with 10 of 18 from beyond the arc.
