Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has been working hard to come back after her knee surgery six weeks ago.
On Sunday, she looked like her old self again, scoring 20 points in New York’s 80-66 victory over Minnesota, tying the WNBA Finals series at 1-1.
“I think everyone has seen her. She’s been struggling, but she’s been feeling good these last few days, can tell you that much,” said Liberty coach Sandy Brondello. “We just knew it would take some time.
We’ve given her plenty of rest, and she was ready to go. She puts in the work. Like I said, she’s tough. We talked about the grit she brings us.”
Laney-Hamilton, who had surgery on July 16 and came back to play on August 26, felt good after making her first drive of the game. The former Rutgers star mentioned she had “a little bit of everything” done to help her knee.
“I think it gives me a little bit of momentum going through the series,” said Laney-Hamilton, who scored five points in the first game. “I’ve been struggling physically and mentally through this process. … I’m finally starting to feel good and take advantage of it.”
Laney-Hamilton’s college coach, C. Vivian Stringer, was at the game to support her. When healthy, Laney-Hamilton contributes greatly to New York on both offense and defense.
“We missed her grit and competitiveness. She takes pride in guarding the best player. Now with Leo on the team too, we really have a versatile defense.
But you also miss her ability to create plays,” Brondello said. “We wanted her to focus on play-making this year, but it was tough for her when she was limping around. We needed her to regain her confidence first, then go out and play.”
When Minnesota closed the gap to 68-66 with 3:40 left in the fourth quarter, Laney-Hamilton sparked a 12-0 run by hitting a 3-pointer in the corner, giving New York a lead they wouldn’t lose.
“She’s impactful because she plays hard on both ends and she’s a winner,” Brondello said. “I’m so happy for her success tonight, and I hope she keeps building on it.”
After the game, Laney-Hamilton had a chance to meet Jennifer Hudson, who wanted to connect with her. The two talked for a few minutes after the win.
