Tanisha Wright, Kiah Stokes, and Tina Charles gained history-making stats; Sugar Rodgers came up big with points at the right time

It was yet another memorable night in the World’s Most Famous Arena as the New York Liberty took on the Dallas Wings. Coming off a win 15-point road win against the San Antonio Stars, the ladies of New York defeated the Wings 91-88. This victory wasn’t the only accomplishment that took place in the arena on Tuesday night, Liberty vet Tanisha Wright recorded her 1,000th career rebound making her the 11th player in WNBA history to record 2,500 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds. Kiah Stokes also moved higher in the ranks clinching the 6th spot in New York Liberty history with 89 blocks. To top it all off Tina Charles hit a career high after she nailed three 3-pointers against the Wings, she never played a game where she completed more than one shot from beyond the arc.

The Liberty had an explosive first half capped off by two early shots made by Carolyn Swords, who has been  indispensable in the paint this season. However, the team struggled in the early moments and was down by as much as eight points. The Wings were able to capitalize off of New York’s miscommunication which allowed them to score four points off of the Liberty’s four turnovers. Dallas stars Odyssey Sims and Karima Christmas demonstrated their skills from beyond the arc early in the game after nailing two treys apiece. Nearly half of Dallas 26 points in the first half came from -three pointers. However rising Liberty star, Sugar Rodgers carried the team on her back once she displayed her skills from the three point line with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter. She soon followed up with the and-1 to tie it up 22-22 before the start of the second quarter. Rodgers scored 8 of her 18 points in the first quarter alone.

After only scoring 6 points in the first quarter, Charles led her team with 11 points in the second to outscore the Wings by 10 before the half. The Liberty was able to slow down the Wings defense forcing them to commit five turnovers and shoot 45.9% from the field. The Libs walked into the locker room with a 6-point lead (56-50). After soaring through the third the Liberty led by as much as 10 over the Wings, but the 4th quarter became a nail biter when Dallas came back and maintained a 4-point lead in the final minutes. Stokes served as the saving grace for her team after she deflected a lay-up attempt by Wings forward Christmas. This led to a sweet trey by Rodgers which sparked off a 6-0 run for Liberty. Charles led all scorers with 28 points and her late jumper in those final seconds bought the Liberty to their 91-88 win over the Dallas Wings.

With this win, the Liberty improved to a 6-4 record putting them second in the eastern conference. They hope to add to their two-game winning streak when they face off against the Connecticut Sun on  tonight. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm eastern standard time.

PRESS RELEASE: 

New York Liberty forward/center and native of Queens, N.Y., Tina Charles has been selected as one of 25 finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team it was announced today by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee.

Charles, who was a member of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team’s gold medal winning squad at the 2012 Summer Games in London, will be attempting to be selected to the team for a second time. While the Liberty has had several former U.S. Olympians on its roster in the past, should Charles be named to the U.S. Olympic Team later this year, she would become the first-ever New York Liberty player to represent the United States in the Olympics while simultaneously playing for the Liberty.

In addition to her helping the United States capture a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic games, Charles has enjoyed a decorated international playing career, also earning gold with the United States at the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships.

Of the 25 of the nation’s top women’s basketball players have been named as finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team, the list includes 15 athletes who have earned a combined 41 Olympic and FIBA World Championship gold medals, The USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee will select the official 12-member U.S. Olympic Team later this year.

Further, the USA Basketball Women’s National Team will conduct a training camp Feb. 21-23 at the University of Connecticut. Athletes taking part in the minicamp, which is expected to be the final training before the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team is selected, will be announced at a later date and will come from the pool of finalists.

“Naming the Olympic Team finalists is another step in our selection process,” said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women’s National Team Director and chair of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee. “Because of the quality and talent in the USA National Team pool, every time we pare the list it is a difficult task. Yet, we eventually have to get down to a 12-member team, so we conscientiously look at the present goal of winning a gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games with an eye to sustaining our success in the future. This list of finalists is a mix of veterans, youth, international savvy and USA Basketball experience.

“What adds to the challenge of picking a team is the devotion and commitment all of our athletes have to our USA National Team and representing their country, especially given the year-round play many of them have in the WNBA and on overseas teams.”

“I think the committee has a tough decision ahead of it,” said USA and Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma, who has directed the USA National Team to an overall 23-0 record and gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships. “When I look at this list of athletes, we could split them down the middle and have two very competitive teams. We have a great mix of gold medalists and players who are hungry to play in their first Olympics. There is versatility at all positions. Our posts are the strongest we’ve seen in years, we have guys who can shoot, guys who can defend, and I’m just happy I don’t have to make the decision as to who will be playing in Rio.”

Finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team include: Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Tina Charles (New York Liberty), Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Dallas Wings), Stefanie Dolson (Washington Mystics), Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury), Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury),Briann January (Indiana Fever), Jantel Lavender (Los Angeles Sparks), Kayla McBride (San Antonio Stars), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx), Chiney Ogwumike(Connecticut Sun), Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), Danielle Robinson (San Antonio Stars), Odyssey Sims (Dallas Wings), Breanna Stewart (University of Connecticut), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Courtney Vandersloot (Chicago Sky) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx).

Additionally, Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm), who took part in the USA National Team’s minicamp in Las Vegas this past May, was added to the USA National Team pool and is among the 25 finalists. The No. 1 pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft and the 2015 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Loyd is a two-time world champion with USA Basketball. She helped the 2010 USA U17 World Championship Team collect gold with an 8-0 record, and she returned as a member of the 2014 USA 3x3 World Championship Team that swept its competition for a 9-0 record and gold medal at the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Championship.

“I think her addition is because of some of the success she had during the summer playing in Seattle,” said Auriemma on Loyd’s selection to the USA National Team pool and list of U.S. Olympic Team finalists. “There is a concerted effort to get as many guards into this training camp as possible because we can’t just think about now, we also have to think about the future. She is one of the best young players in the league and deserves to be there.”

Included on the roster of finalists are three-time Olympic gold medalists Bird, Catchings and Taurasi (2004, 2008, 2012); two-time Olympic gold medalists Augustus, Fowles and Parker (2008, 2012); and Charles, McCoughtry, Moore and Whalen, who have each earned one Olympic gold medal (2012).

Further, Bird is a four-time USA World Championship Team member and three-time FIBA World Championship gold medalist; Catchings, Charles, McCoughtry, Moore, Taurasi and Whalen have captured two World Championship gold medals; Fowles earned gold at the 2010 Worlds; and Augustus, Griner, Nneka Ogwumike, Sims and Stewart earned a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Championship.

Additionally, Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Parker and Taurasi returned with a bronze medal from the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Last October Bird, Delle Donne, Dolson, Dupree, Griner, McCoughtry, Parker, Robinson, Stewart and Vandersloot participated in the USA National Team’s European tour and aided the U.S. to a 4-0 record against a trio of European professional clubs and the Italian National Team.
Auriemma will be assisted through the 2016 Olympic Games by DePaul University’s Doug Bruno, the Minnesota Lynx’ Cheryl Reeve and University of South Carolina’s Dawn Staley.

The final, 12-player 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team will be selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee. Chaired by Callan, the committee includes: WNBA appointees Reneé Brown, WNBA chief of basketball operations and player relations; Dan Hughes, head coach and general manager of the San Antonio Stars; and Chris Sienko, vice president and general manager of the Connecticut Sun; and three-time Olympic and two-time FIBA World Championship gold medalist Katie Smith, who played in nearly 200 games for USA Basketball from 1993-2008 and serves as the athlete representative.

2016 Olympic Games

The 2016 Olympic Games will be held Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro. A total of 12 nations will compete in the Olympic women’s basketball competition. In addition to host Brazil and the USA, which earned its berth by virtue of winning gold at the 2014 FIBA World Championship, the gold-medal winning teams from each of FIBA’s five zones have qualified for Rio, including Australia (FIBA Oceania), Canada (FIBA Americas), Japan (FIBA Asia), Senegal (FIBA Africa) and Serbia (FIBA Europe).

The top-placing teams in each zone tournament -- not including the champions -- qualified for the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament (June 13-19, 2016 @ Nantes, France), and those teams include: Cameroon and Nigeria from FIBA Africa; Argentina, Cuba and Venezuela from FIBA Americas; China and South Korea from FIBA Asia; Belarus, France, Spain and Turkey from FIBA Europe; and New Zealand from FIBA Oceania.

U.S. Olympic women’s basketball teams have earned a record seven gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal, and are 58-3 all-time in Olympic competition. The 2016 U.S. team will enter Rio riding a 41-game Olympic winning streak that dates back to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics bronze medal game.

Since the inception of the 1995-96 USA Basketball Women’s National Team program, the USA National Team, in addition to its record five straight Olympic gold medals, has captured four FIBA World Championship gold medals, one FIBA World Championship bronze medal and one FIBA Americas Championship gold medal, while compiling a remarkable 86-1 record for a .989 winning percentage in those events. Further, USA National Teams in exhibition contests since 1995 boast of an 186-15 record (.925 winning percentage).

USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Basketball, chaired by Jerry Colangelo, is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety.

USA Basketball men’s and women’s teams between 2012-15 compiled a spectacular 151-6 win-loss record in FIBA and FIBA Americas competitions, the World University Games and the Nike Hoop Summit, and posted a 92-15 win-loss record in official FIBA and FIBA Americas 3x3 competitions.

USA teams are the current men’s and women’s champions in the Olympics; men’s FIBA World Cup and women’s FIBA World Championship; men’s and women’s FIBA U19 and U17 World Championships; men’s and women’s FIBA Americas U18 Championships; men’s FIBA Americas U16 Championship; the FIBA 3x3 Women’s World Championship; and the women’s Youth Olympic Games. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA’s world-ranking categories, including combined, men’s, women’s, boys and girls.

For further information about USA Basketball, go to the official website of USA Basketball at www.usab.com and connect with us on facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball,plus.google.com/+usabasketball, instagram.com/usabasketball and youtube.com/usab.

VIDEO DISCUSSION: First time Liberty has made the playoffs since 2012, also first WNBA team to reach 20 wins

The NY Liberty clinched its first playoff berth since 2012 and are the first WNBA team to reach 20 wins this season. In fact, this is the first time the Liberty reached 20 wins in 5 years!

Additionally, rookie Kiah Stokes recorded her THIRD career double-double against the Connecticut Sun. Talk about #BURNINGBRIGHT.

VIDEO Discussion: Freedom Williams Weighs in on New York Liberty and Women's Sports

New York Liberty’s Epiphany Prince dropped a season-high 30 points against her former team the Chicago Sky! She also surpassed Liberty top scorer Tina Charles’ game-high Friday night and the team has the best record in the Eastern Conference as of now. If the Liberty continues to play at this level they will have a golden ticket to the playoffs!!!

SEE VIDEO: 2015 WNBA All-Star Game Report

The WNBA Western Conference won the 2015 WNBA All-Star game held on July 25th at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, defeating the Eastern Conference 117-112.

Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore was the game’s MVP scoring a record 30 points for a WNBA All-Star game. Additionally, Moore posted six rebounds and five assists.

New York Liberty center Tina Charles led all scorers with 13 points in the first half.

This is the last WNBA All-Star appearance for Tamika Catchings, who holds a record 10 WNBA All-Star Game appearances; she is retiring in 2016.

For more detail about the game see The 2015 WNBA All-Star Game: New Records and End of an Era.

Tamika Catchings and Maya Moore hold new WNBA All-Star Game records

Every big annual event has its storylines and the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game was no different. The 2015 WNBA All-Star game became the first WNBA All-Star Game to be televised on ABC, instead of a 2nd or 3rd tier channel on ESPN.

Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Moore tallied up 30 points, a WNBA All-Star Game record. Moore added six rebounds and five assists.

Indiana Fever forward and 2011 WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings now holds the record of 10 WNBA All-Star Game appearances. Catchings won’t be building on this record because this will be her last WNBA All-Star game. Catchings is retiring in 2016, and because of the 2016 Summer Olympics, there will be no 2016 WNBA All-Star Game.

"It's definitely sentimental," Catchings said, according to ESPN.com's Mechelle Voepel. "This is my last All-Star. My playing career will be over next year, but hopefully the legacy I leave behind will keep going."

Right now, Catchings’ legacy holds another WNBA All-Star game record. Catchings, finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds and six assists, is the all-time WNBA All-Star Game leading scorer with104 points! Historic! 

Our hometown player, New York Liberty center Tina Charles, did her best to represent the East. Charles showed off her brilliance early, leading all scorers with 13 points in the first half.

New york Liberty center Tina Charles stretching before playing in the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game. Photo Credit: Jessica Hill/AP

At game’s end, the WNBA Western conference defeated the East 117-112. And, Minnesota’s Maya Moore showed that she is not only an all-star but, an MVP, too.

VIDEO Discussion: All agree Devon Still ESPY speech most inspirational; Dez Bryant hits the jackpot; Brooklyn Nets making moves; NY Knicks look promising

In this episode of What's The 411Sports, the panel of hosts Glenn Gilliam and Gregory Alcala, and correspondents Naomi Grey and Jason Schott are discussing Caitlyn Jenner's and Devon Still's speeches at the Espy Award; Dez Bryant's contract with the Dallas Cowboys; updates on the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, the New York Liberty; and the WNBA All-Star Game

Kiah Stokes scores 8 blocks and Tina Charles achieves sixth double-double of the season

The NY Liberty takes the number 1 spot in the WNBA Eastern Conference after two back-to-back wins at Madison Square Garden. Liberty rookie center Kiah Stokes hit a franchise record of 8 blocks against the Connecticut Sun and Tina Charles had her sixth double-double of the season.

VIDEO: Conversation about Epiphanny Prince, Tina Charles, and Becky Hammon

Epiphany Prince rejoins the NY Liberty after missing the first 10 games of the season due to a prior commitment with Russia's National Women's Team. In her season debut with the Liberty, Prince scored a total of 12 points and had 2 assists along with 3 rebounds.

Liberty forward Tina Charles scored her 3,000th career point during a recent overtime win against the Washington Mystics. Tina also scored the game-winning shot! Go Tina!!!

Former New York Liberty guard, Becky Hammon scored another milestone. She is a coach of the San Antonio Spurs’ NBA Summer League. Hammon becomes the first woman to coach an NBA Summer League team.

Epiphanny Prince has Good First Game with New York Liberty

Epiphany Prince joins the New York Liberty after missing the first 10 games of the season due to a prior commitment with Russia's National Women's Team. In her season debut with the Liberty, Prince scored a total of 12 points and had 2 assists along with 3 rebounds.

Prior to the start of the season, Prince’s former team, the Chicago Sky, traded her to the Liberty for former Rutgers guard Cappie Pondexter. Prince also played for Rutgers. Both Prince and Pondexter are now playing for WNBA teams in their respective hometowns.

Tina Charles’ Big Show

Liberty forward Tina Charles scored her 3,000th career point during a recent overtime win against the Washington Mystics. Tina also scored the game winning shot! Go, Tina!!!

See video conversation about Epiphanny Prince's return to the Liberty and Tina Charles hits 3,000 points.