Late Liberty Starter Helps End Angel Reese Streak

Kennedy Burke stepped into the New York Liberty starting five and helped handle Chicago Sky rookie sensation Angel Reese.

Brandon Todd, NY Liberty

Congestion on Kennedy in Chicago took on a whole new meaning when the New York Liberty visited on Saturday afternoon.

Thrust into the starting five for a potential playoff preview with the Chicago Sky, Kennedy Burke made the most out of expanded minutes for the Liberty. Burke made sure that nothing was lost when former and current teammate Breanna Stewart (hamstring) sat down for precautionary reasons, playing a major role in the shut down of Angel Reese's renowned double-double streak.

Burke's defense was part of a sterling depth showcase in Chicago, which saw New York take an 81-67 decision in its penultimate game before the WNBA's All-Star/Olympic break. Her first start of the season accompanied brilliant offensive antics from fellow depth chart risers Ivana Dojkic and Leonie Fiebich.

With both Stewart and two-way star Betnijah Laney-Hamilton out, head coach Sandy Brondello had several options to work with when it came to replacing the vital minutes. Kayla Thornton had often joined Fiebich as a replacement in the opening lineup but Brondello stuck with depth chart labels by employing Burke, the designated backup power forward.

"She's a four, she's our backup four, so why wouldn't I start her?" Brondello said without hesitation in the aftermath. "Next player up ... Kennedy, KB keeps getting better and better in the practices and games that we've had. She's been staying ready. I thought she was giving us really good minutes and it was great to get her extended minutes. Hopefully, we'll continue to build on it."

Primarily chased by Burke, the rookie sensation Reese fell two points short of a 16th straight game with 10 in multiple categories. She was 3-of-17 from the field in defeat, as the point category kept history from carrying on. Burke was one of six New Yorkers with a defensive rating under 90 on Saturday, which pushed New York's active winning streak to three.

In more traditional affairs, Burke scored seven points, pairing them with three rebounds and steals each.

The headlining sequence from Saturday's game perhaps came when the game was well-decided: with New York fostering its 14-point lead and the shot clock turned off, Reese had once last opportunity to keep her tradition alive. Reese's drive was interrupted by Burke, who cornered her near the boundary before Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Kayla Thornton all surrounded her. Reese could only let up a wild final shot that double as a pass to Lindsay Allen, who held the ball and allowed the final seconds to tick away.

Time will tell if Stewart is able to partake in the final game before the break, but Burke has no doubt built a sterling level of trust in the New York rotation. The Liberty close out the de facto first half against the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center on Tuesday night (7 p.m. ET, WWOR).

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