Teamwork – The Path to Victory

Each player is dedicated to the success of the team; the focus is on the team - not individual statistics. Each player knows her own strengths and weaknesses and those of her teammates, as do the coaches who put together plays that blend all these abilities together. Players hone their individual skills but also practice working together to put the best team they can out on the floor.

Teresa Weatherspoon is a great example of the Liberty’s dedication to teamwork. Spoon is the play-maker and she uses her talent to help New York tally the points. Her strong sense of the game and ability to set up plays have made her the WNBA’s all-time leader in assists. Spoon is a vital part of the Liberty; the team works on plays that put Teresa in place to run down court and make one of her great passes to teammates like Tamika Whitmore.

Tamika is one of New York’s top scorers this year and also has the most blocked shots so far this season; she is what basketball enthusiasts recognize as an all-around player. During the off-season, she focused on becoming a stronger player and it shows. This season, she is the WNBA’s fourth leading blocker and she plays hard both offensively and defensively every game.

Tamika is joined by Tari Phillips and Sue Wicks in defending the basket. Tari, like Tamika, becomes a better player every year. This season, Tari has her highest assists per game ever and she has more steals per game than last year. She ranks seventh in the WNBA in total rebounds and in steals. Tari knows that a well-rounded game is an important asset to her team and she works hard to maintain her skills. Tari and Sue are both strong defensive players; everyone can count on them to get to the ball when an opponent misses a shot and they lead New York in defensive rebounds.

When it comes to calling the shots in New York, Crystal Robinson is one of several Liberty players that fans can trust will find the basket; she has worked her way to second place in the WNBA in field goals made. Crystal and her teammates know that teamwork means making sure the points get scored so Crystal is always willing to pass the ball to a teammate to help ensure a shot gets made. She too has worked hard at her offensive and defensive skills to ensure strength at both ends of the court.

When Spoon brings the ball down court, she looks for an open teammate like Vickie Johnson. Vickie is a solid scorer and she keeps getting better. So far this season, Vickie is shooting field goals and 3 pointers better than ever. In fact, she ranks ninth in the WNBA in three-point percentage. Coach Richie Adubato knows that he can count on Vickie to make the tough shots, as VJ proves again and again her dedication to New York’s most unified team.

Shooting the ball must be complemented by good defense and the Liberty has that in Becky Hammon. Becky has more rebounds this season than she did in all of last season, and is playing with a career high defensive rebound average. With her talent as both an offensive and defensive player, Becky is a critical part of Liberty victories.

There is no question that the Liberty roster is one filled with great talent but New York would not be the all-star team it is today if not for the willingness to work together. Each Liberty player sees the importance of recognizing personal strengths, that being part of a group means not always being the star and that each individual player is vital to the success of the team. While every Liberty member practices hard to maintain a balanced game, they all excel in different areas and their dedication to teamwork sets the stage for the Liberty’s high-powered game and winning combination.

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