During the 2023 season, the New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart had the ball in her hand when only 8.8 seconds were left in the fourth quarter. But Stewie was going through a lot emotionally especially due to her wife’s father’s demise and hence in that split second of the decision time, she chose to pass the ball instead of giving it a shot. The move was later regretted by many of the Liberty fans as their team lost by a narrow 70-69 margin in the Championship Finales. Therefore, when Stewart stepped on the court this semi-final series against the LV Aces, she knew she had to perform well for her wife, Marta Xargay, and her deceased father.

“You know, I have receipts on the things that were said. The entire team does. But really, my mentality today was to go in and get this one for my wife and her dad,” Stewart stated after winning game 4 against the Aces in the best-of-five series and advancing to the Championship Finale on Sunday, hiring her wife and her father.

While the game was a neck-to-neck competition, it was efforts from players such as Stewart who didn’t let the Aces have a home-court advantage. Stewie scored a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds and on the defensive end also supported with 4 blocks. Therefore, it was an all-round performance by Stewart that helped the Liberty win the game by a 76-62 margin, which certainly would have made Josep Xargay happy if he was here to watch the game.

Xargay was diagnosed with cancer but despite his health issues, he didn’t miss any chance to watch Stewart play in the W. His interest in basketball was such that before his diagnosis he would fly between Bangkok and Arizona to watch his daughter in action. Post that he would tune into the TV in his hospital ward to get a glimpse of Stewie. His love for the Liberty Star was such that all patients and health care experts associated with him during his last days knew of Stewart and her W performances.

However, when at times he wasn’t able to watch the game, he would call his daughter to share his regret of not being able to tune his TV due to the life-threatening disease. Therefore, when Xargay passed away before the Championship Finale in 2023, a devastated Stewie had to go through a lot while keeping mum because she did not want to take her teammates’ focus off winning the championship. So how when Stewart got a chance she did it for her wife and her deceased father while pardoning everything that was said by the opponents.

Breanna Stewart lets go of the Aces’ talks

“3 for 17 is you need to talk about it,” the Aces head coach Becky Hammon had spoken about Stewart when last season she could only shoot 3-out-17 in the Game 4 of the Championship finale against the Aces. This enraged Stewart’s fans since Hammon failed to consider her vulnerable condition and ignored what the 30-year-old was going through. Therefore, when Stewart performed exceptionally well in the semi-final series against the Las Vegas-based franchise, it was speculated that Hammon’s talks had incited her to avenge herself. However, Stewie denied all that.

Similarly, Ionescu had also been mocked for the “night night” celebration at the parade. And hence, she too looked furious and answered her critics with her performance, hitting 22 points with 7 rebounds. And a total effort from both the players had the Liberty sealing the deal with a 76-62 tally and making their way to the Championship Finale.

Hopefully, the Aces would have learned their lesson. And would think twice before troubling the Liberty Stars ever again. And perhaps, even during the Championship Finale this year, the other team would be careful not to poke Stewart & Co.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.