Basketball-Cloud nine: Liberty's new guard dazzles in New York debut

By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK, May 17 (Reuters) - Natasha Cloud made a dream debut with the Liberty on Saturday, helping power the defending champions past their old foes Las Vegas Aces 92-78 in front of a packed house at New York's season opener.

A gritty defender with exceptional speed, Cloud was exactly as fans had hoped when New York snatched her up from the Phoenix Mercury in the offseason, draining 22 points, while the twice MVP Breanna Stewert led the scoring for the Liberty with 25.

The twice champion Aces were hungry for revenge after losing to New York in the post season but could not overcome a smothering Liberty defense, even as the reigning MVP A'ja Wilson put on one of her blockbuster performances with 31 points.

"I always understood as an opponent that the crowd here and the fans, it's the sixth man on the court at all times. They have the ability to shift momentum at any given moment," said Cloud, who had nine assists with three steals and two blocks.

"It's really refreshing and nice because it gives you that extra energy you need."

Only three teams have won a consecutive title in the WNBA and the Liberty made a compelling case to become the fourth as Stewart came alive in the second quarter, with a one-handed bucket that brought the house down, and New York went into the locker room up 47-33.

The veteran guard Cloud fitted in perfectly with the quick-tempo Liberty offense and soaked in cheers from the adoring fans at Barclays Center as she soldiered on after taking an elbow to the face in the third quarter.

The Aces trimmed the lead to two points in the fourth but could not break through in the final minutes of the game, as the Liberty played aggressive on offense.

The win capped an afternoon of celebration for the Liberty, after owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai handed each of their players diamond-encrusted a championship ring - with a secret compartment containing stud earrings - in a pre-game ceremony.

That was the pinnacle of an extraordinary redemption journey for one of the league's original teams that had lost in the finals five teams before last year, when they overcame the Minnesota Lynx 3-2.

The franchise itself had once appeared on life support after former owners Madison Square Garden Company announced in 2017 that it would sell the franchise and booted the team to a 2,100-seat facility in the suburbs.

Eight years later, a crowd of more than 17,000 showed up at the arena they share with their NBA counterparts Brooklyn Nets and gave a deafening cheer as Cloud celebrated the win with her new teammates at center court.

The 2022 assists leader with abundant charisma fit for the New York spotlight said she made the right choice coming to Brooklyn.

"There was a culture, there was an unselfishness about this team," said Cloud. "They know what it takes."