Liberty’s Rebekah Gardner earned more minutes with successful starting lineup promotion

SAN FRANCISCO — Sandy Brondello had decided to promote Rebekah Gardner to the starting lineup for Sunday’s game even before Sabrina Ionescu woke up that morning with a kink in her neck. 

The hope was Gardner could help the team set the right tone from the jump since Leonie Fiebich is still at EuroBasket. 

“We just thought she could bring some really good energy for us,” Brondello said after the 89-79 loss. “Her ability to get out front in transition. She could shoot the 3. I thought she cut very well for us and that’s why she got the start.” 

Despite the unfavorable outcome, Gardner did a little bit of everything for the Liberty against the Storm. 

Gardner had a season-high 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. She also had two rebounds a blocked shot. 

Gardner doesn’t have the physical gifts that help make Fiebich an elite wing defender. But Gardner plays with a lot of effort, and Brondello was overall pleased with her performance. 

“She had some really good minutes for us and something that we can build on,” Brondello said. “As we move forward, we’ve been trying to build her up. She went out there and earned more minutes.” 

With Fiebich and Jonquel Jones (right sprained ankle) unavailable, the Liberty have been forced to run different lineup combinations that are outside their regular units. 

Gardner, Marine Johannès, Kennedy Burke and Nyara Sabally are the four players who are being presented with opportunities for larger roles for the foreseeable future. 

The Liberty had prepared for Sabally and Fiebich to go overseas for EuroBasket, though Sabally pulled out at the last minute because of a knee issue. 

Sabally staying was a huge lift for the Liberty, especially now with Jones sidelined for at least a month. 

Fiebich and Jones can’t be replaced by any one player. But the Liberty have the pieces to try to steady this tumultuous road trip. 

The team established a foundation of chemistry with one another in training camp. But practice doesn’t perfectly replicate game action. 

Brondello said the challenge is to continue to grow together and weather this trying stretch. 

“They do get opportunities to play for each other and I think not much in a game. But these games will help us,” Brondello said. “Yes, we know we’re down three starters. We’re the underdogs at the moment, but we competed [Sunday] and we nearly had the chance to win a game.” 

Gardner was one of the reasons why the shorthanded Liberty managed to hang around the Storm for most of Sunday’s game.