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After a painful defeat in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton propelled the New York Liberty to victory in the second matchup on Sunday, putting on a clinic and showing up when her team needed her the most. Following her impressive performance, which included 20 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from deep, Laney-Hamilton was showered with praise by several fans.
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Social media went into a frenzy after the Liberty secured the win, and Laney-Hamilton received plenty of positive comments.
"She could outshoot Bronny," one fan said.
Others labeled her the unsung hero and lauded how her performance changed the game's direction for the Liberty.
"Betnijah Laney Hamilton really turned the game around for the Liberty. clutch performance indeed!" one fan said.
"Well, glad somebody noticed. She was definitely the unsung hero," another fan said.
"Laney-Hamilton had A DAY Liberty made the right plays today when the Lynx made it close late," another fan said.
Others were excited by the way this team bounced back after the gut-wrenching Game 1 loss in overtime.
The Liberty were well aware that they couldn't afford to lose this game and went to work as early as possible, taking a 31-21 lead in the first quarter.
They wouldn't win another quarter until the fourth (18-18, 14-12 and 13-19) but managed their advantage to hold on to the win and send a message to the Lynx. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton credited her teammates after impressive performance versus Lynx
Once the game was over, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton spoke about what lit the fire inside of her to put on this kind of performance on such a big stage.
"My teammates," she said when asked what inspires her to perform at a high level. "Just continuing to trust in me as I was finding my way back to feeling myself. I really appreciate that."
Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu were expected to lead the way for the Liberty on Sunday, but it was Betnijah Laney-Hamilton who showed up and carried her team from the very beginning.
She became the first Liberty player to score 20 points in a finals game without attempting a single free throw. She was on one in Game 2, and now Liberty fans have more reasons to dream.
