Latest news with #Fiebich
New York Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Liberty getting whole again with Leonie Fiebich back after team's rough stretch
Leonie Fiebich kept tabs on the Liberty the best she could when she was away for EuroBasket the past few weeks. We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW She saw the underwhelming results and updates on social media. She got texts from her WNBA teammates asking her to come back. Advertisement 'It's also OK for us to go through a phase like this that it's hitting us now and not later in the year,' Fiebich said after practice Wednesday. 'We just gotta find a way back.' Now is the time to do just that. The Liberty opened their title defense with a franchise-best 9-0 start. Advertisement Over the past 2 ½ weeks, though, they have faltered. The team lost five of its past seven games and recently finished a 10-day road trip with back-to-back losses in Phoenix and Atlanta. 3 Germany's Leonie Fiebich, left, and Sweden's Fanny Wadling in action during the European Championships basketball match between Germany and Sweden at the Inselpark Arena in Hamburg, Germany, Thursday, June 19, 2025. AP The Liberty (11-5) entered Wednesday ranked third in the league standings. Advertisement Despite the struggles, though, Natasha Cloud believes outsiders need to take a 'chill pill.' 'We have everything that we need,' Cloud said. 'In that locker room, there is no panic. I think everyone needs to take a reality check. … We have two missing starters.' The Liberty were without two starters for most of that stretch since Fiebich — one of the team's best defenders — went overseas for EuroBasket and Jonquel Jones — New York's best rim protector — aggravated a right ankle sprain. It didn't help either that Sabrina Ionescu was a late scratch for the June 22 loss in Seattle after she woke up with a kink in her neck. Advertisement 3 Natasha Cloud of the New York Liberty shoots the ball during the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 29, 2025 at Gateway Center Arena at College Park in Atlanta, Georgia. NBAE via Getty Images Ionescu still didn't have full movement in her neck when she helped the Liberty beat the Valkyries in front of a rowdy violet-laden crowd in San Francisco. Ionescu is better now, and Fiebich is back in the mix. The German wing is expected to play Thursday against the Sparks. Jones is also on the mend and was seen doing individual work off to the side with director of player development coach Andrew Wade toward the end of Wednesday's practice. The Liberty didn't anticipate Jones returning before WNBA All-Star weekend (July 18 and 19) based on their initial June 21 update that she'd be out for four to six weeks. Speaking to reporters for the first time since she reinjured her ankle in June, Jones said she doesn't have a target date for her return to play but feels she's in a 'good spot.' This all bodes well for the Liberty, who are playing eight straight games at home, starting Thursday. Advertisement 'I think we're going to be able to kind of turn the page and see a different team here when we're back at home,' Ionescu said. Ionescu thought it was promising to see the team 'fought' over the past two weeks, despite being shorthanded. She described the team vibes as 'good.' 'Everyone kind of sees the big picture and isn't really panicking,' she said. 'It's just that understanding of we need people to step up, we need people to continue to try and make up for the players that aren't here and those are really big shoes to fill. And so we just need to continue to chip away.' Advertisement The Liberty aren't scheduled to hit the road again until their July 28 game in Arlington, Texas, against the Wings. If they do in fact get back on track before the All-Star break, then the previous turbulence will be only a blip in a long season. But if problems persist even with Fiebich on the floor, then it might be time to sound the alarm. 3 Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Dream on June 29, 2025 at Gateway Center Arena at College Park in Atlanta, Georgia. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement For now, though, the Liberty deserve the benefit of the doubt given their championship credentials and the recent circumstances. But they should know the sand in the hourglass is running low. 'Everyone faces adversity, so you got to stay together,' coach Sandy Brondello said. 'This is where your character shows. And we're our worst enemy, you know what I mean? 'In the end, we didn't play hard enough. And so that's what the last few days have been about. Getting back to who we are and demanding more. And Leo makes a big difference.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sabrina Ionescu Isn't Upset About New York Liberty's Big Loss
Sabrina Ionescu Isn't Upset About New York Liberty's Big Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Liberty's star-studded squad was missing something as the 2024 regular season came to a close. Although a team with Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart finished with a WNBA-best 32-8 record, head coach Sandy Brondello decided that rookie forward Leonie Fiebich needed to be in the starting lineup when the playoffs began. Advertisement With another lanky shooter and a strong defender on the floor in Fiebich, the Liberty rolled to the WNBA Finals and defeated the Minnesota Lynx in five games to win their first-ever championship. Brondello's plan worked so well that Fiebich has kept her starting role in 2025. The 9-0 Liberty are the W's only unbeaten team, featuring the league's best offense (114.2 offensive rating) and its best defense (90.2 defensive rating). But Brondello now has a Fiebich-sized hole to patch in the lineup, as the 25-year-old is heading to Eurobasket to play for her native Germany. The tournament, which will be held in four different European countries, begins June 18 and runs through June 29, could rule Fiebich out for the Liberty's next seven games, starting with Saturday's road game against the Indiana Fever. Advertisement On paper, it's a huge loss for an undefeated team enjoying tremendous synergy in the early stages of its title defense. But Ionescu, the Liberty's longest-tenured player, sees an opportunity amid Fiebich's absence. "We're not going to sit here and kind of pout and be upset that she had to go do that," Ionescu told the media on Friday. "I think it's just understanding we got to grind out." Winning the 2024 WNBA Finals, in which Ionescu played with a serious injury, served as confirmation that the Liberty were as resilient and as tough as they come. Those qualities have been displayed this season in tight wins over the Fever and the Golden State Valkyries, but Ionescu is embracing the challenge that awaits without Fiebich, starting with an Indiana team that will welcome back Caitlin Clark from a five-game injury absence. Advertisement Related: Sabrina Ionescu Had One Word for Vanessa Bryant This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
31-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Leonie Fiebich did exactly what Liberty needed — and then some — in win
WASHINGTON — Leonie Fiebich is a not-so-secret stabilizer for the Liberty. She never gets too high or too low. She doesn't always put up the flashiest numbers. Her defensive efforts can go unappreciated by the average eye. But not to her teammates. She can score, but she knows her role on a team loaded with offensive firepower. In Friday's 85-63 win, though, with the Liberty gassed from playing a game the night before, Fiebich came in and did exactly what the Liberty needed from her. 3 Leonie Fiebich looks to make a move during the Liberty's 85-63 blowout road win over the Mystics on May 30, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Fiebich played her best game of the season. She scored 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting (2-for-3 from deep) and contributed nine rebounds, three blocks and an assist. 3 Leonie Fiebich goes up for a layup during the Liberty's blowout road victory over the Mystics. NBAE via Getty Images It was the type of showing coach Sandy Brondello has come to expect from her German forward. 'Every day, you know what you're going to get day-in and day-out,' Brondello said of Fiebich. 'We appreciate that. She loves defense; she's so versatile. But you can see that. She was shooting 3s. She was cutting. She was posting out. So it was great for us.' Jonquel Jones called Fiebich a defensive anchor of the team. She can guard the opposing team's best guards or wings, using her length and athleticism to shut them down. 'She's someone that we're not worried about that matchup,' Jones said. 'We understand that she can go out there and just be really productive in that sense, but it's something that maybe other people overlook but we don't overlook it on our team. We understand how valuable she is to us.' Backup center Nyara Sabally remains sidelined with a right knee issue. Friday marked the fourth game Sabally missed this week after discomfort flared up in her surgically repaired knee while warming up for the Liberty's game at Indiana. Brondello has said Sabally is 'fine' and has expressed caution with not wanting to rush Sabally back to the floor before she's ready. 3 Nyara Sabally during a game last season. Michelle Farsi/New York Post 'Hopefully, she's back by Sunday,' Brondello said pregame. 'She's making progress but we want to make sure she's feeling 100 percent.' Sabally did an individual workout Thursday and has been shooting, Brondello said. But concern surrounding Sabally's knee continues to grow the longer she remains out. Jones recorded her fourth double-double of the season Friday and 26th since joining the Liberty before the 2023 season. Jones grabbed 18 rebounds, her most in a regular-season game since 2019. She also scored 14 points. The Liberty have yet to lose when Jones posts a double-double.
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Leonie Fiebich shows why she is ‘invaluable' to Liberty even after little prep for season
In the Liberty locker room before Saturday's win, Jonquel Jones was making light of her recent defensive assignments. She drew the Sun's Tina Charles in the Liberty's preseason opener and was tasked with trying to help slow reigning league MVP A'ja Wilson in the team's season opener. Advertisement Leonie Fiebich then chimed in from her stall, 'Well, Chelsey Gray isn't any different.' Fiebich was less than a week removed from helping her WNBA offseason team, Valencia, win the Spanish league finals. She arrived in Brooklyn on Thursday and had only one practice under her belt before the season opener. Advertisement Fiebich was starting to fall victim to her jet lag Saturday. But after receiving her 2024 championship ring and watching the team's banner rise into the Barclays Center rafters, Fiebich logged nearly 30 minutes of playing time as she reclaimed her spot in the Liberty's starting lineup. Fiebich didn't have the most impressive offensive night — two points and one assist. Her energy and aggressiveness on defense — all while her internal clock was off — was quite impressive. Fiebiech was one of the main players hounding Gray, who had 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Fiebich also had three steals and a blocked shot. Advertisement 3 Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) drives to the basket in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Aces at Barclays Center. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images 'I'd hate having someone like Leo guard me, too,' coach Sandy Brondello said Tuesday. 'She's so smart. She's KYP [the acronym for Know Your Personnel]. She knows how to help, knows how exactly we want to play.' Fiebich's familiarity with the Liberty from last season is what made her reintegration with minimal prep mostly seamless this past weekend. 'All the things that I've seen from Leo last year, it's kind of like the expectation now,' Jones said. 'It is very impressive [what she did Saturday] — I will say that — but I also feel like Leo, we understand what the standard is and we hold her to that standard. And she delivers every time.' Advertisement After the Sparks drafted her in the second round in 2020, Fiebich, of Landsberg, Germany, continued to develop her game while playing overseas. She was traded twice — most recently to the Liberty in 2023 — before she even suited up for a WNBA team. Fiebich made her WNBA debut last season. It was obvious early on that she was more than ready for the opportunity. 3 Leonie Fiebich looks on before the Liberty's home-opening win over the Aces. NBAE via Getty Images Her defensive versatility paired with her steady 3-point shot made Fiebich an X factor off the bench. But it became increasingly obvious that she was destined for a bigger role. Lineups with Fiebich gave the Liberty a lot more defensive oomph and shooting compared to lineups that featured Courtney Vandersloot. When the playoffs started, Brondello determined it was time for Fiebich to assume a regular starting job. 'What she brings us is so invaluable,' Brondello said. 'We could have moved her in there early, but I wanted to make it at the right time. And she finished the game. So I always say it's not who starts, it's who finishes, and that's the most important.' Fiebich earned All-Rookie honors and finished second in the Sixth Player of the Year voting last season. Advertisement In the postseason, she averaged 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. She also shot 52.1 percent from deep and averaged 2.2 3-pointers per game. Fiebich was the last player to arrive at Liberty training camp this month as she finished her overseas commitments. But even in her absence, there was no question she'd be a starter this season. 'Sometimes it's still a bit surreal for me that I'm starting in a championship team,' Fiebich said. Advertisement 3 Leonie Fiebich of the New York Liberty is introduced before the game against the Las Vegas Aces during a WNBA game on May 17, 2024. NBAE via Getty Images Fiebich's whirlwind of a week caught up to her on Sunday. She had a fever and was feeling under the weather. 'It was a lot,' Fiebich admits. 'Ending a season, traveling, playing 30 minutes, so my body definitely took a break.' Advertisement Rebekah Gardner is pretty familiar with Fiebich's game as the two squared off against one another while playing in Spain. She said Fiebich's size and length made her a tough player to guard. 'She's been great,' Gardner said. 'And I'm sure she's gonna be even better than last year.'
