Basketball-Ionescu, Cloud carry Liberty torch in WNBA 3-point, skills contests
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) -Liberty teammates Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud swept the opening night of the WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis on Friday, winning the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge, respectively, to bring more hardware to New York.
Ionescu made 11 straight shots en route to her second career title in the event, obliterating the defending champion Allisha Gray with 30 points, after Cloud sprinted through the passing-and-shooting gauntlet earlier in the evening.
It was another high point for the new teammates, after Cloud signed with the defending champions in the off-season and immediately made an impact, helping New York to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
"She continues to bring a different element to our team every single night," said Liberty captain Ionescu.
"Her kind of willingness to do everything, whatever it takes, for the team to win is what she's going to be able to do every single night. It takes a pro's pro to be able to do that."
Fans poured into Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday for the prelude to Saturday's All-Star Game, where Cloud brought the house down as she edged Seattle Storm's Erica Wheeler by 1.1 seconds in the Skills Challenge to walk away $55,000 richer.
She kissed her teammate and girlfriend Isabelle Harrison on the sideline after taking the prize, later promising the purse would go toward a down payment on a home together.
"Baby, you're gonna get that house," Cloud said.
The moment was validation for Cloud, who was included in the event despite being passed up for the All-Star roster yet again.
"I'm meant to be here, meant to be on this level, I'm confident in who I am, I know who I am, and whether I get the flowers or not, I do my job," said Cloud.
She stayed on the sidelines to cheer on Ionescu, who had a target on her back after winning the 3-Point Contest with a record-breaking 37 points two years ago and nervously wiped her hands on her jersey before picking up the first ball.
She came up short of her record mark but dazzled with a series of clutch baskets and later said she had promised half her prize to fellow competitor Sonia Citron, a rookie for the Washington Mystics.
"I obviously have to hold up my end of the bargain...that takes a lot of courage to be able to do that as a rookie," Ionescu told reporters. "I think I might have a limit on Venmo."
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Indianapolis; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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