The New York Liberty’s tense showdown against the Toronto Tempo took a bizarre turn in the final moments when center Jonquel Jones lost a sneaker on the court. Her teammate, guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, picked up the shoe and hurled it toward Jones—only for it to strike Toronto’s Marine Mabrey in the back. The officials ruled it a technical foul, Laney-Hamilton’s second of the game, resulting in her ejection. Mabrey capitalized on the free throw, extending Toronto’s lead to 91-89 before the Tempo ultimately closed out the game with a 93-91 win. Mabrey led all scorers with 30 points, cementing her impact on the outcome.
After the game, Liberty head coach Kris Demarco insisted Laney-Hamilton had no intention of hitting Mabrey, claiming she was simply trying to return the sneaker to Jones. Mabrey herself echoed this sentiment, stating she believed it was an accident. The two players had been locked in a physical battle all night, with both receiving technical fouls in the third quarter after a brief altercation. Despite the controversy, Toronto’s resilience and Mabrey’s clutch performance proved decisive in securing the narrow victory.