Liberty Inquire About Timeout Dispute Following Overtime Loss to Dream in WNBA Semifinals

<p>The Atlanta Dream moved within one victory of a WNBA Finals berth after defeating the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime on October 8, 2026, taking a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series.</p><p>However, the dramatic finish was overshadowed by controversy as Liberty player Breanna Stewart stated that officials incorrectly informed the team they did not have a reset timeout available in the closing seconds, despite still having one remaining.</p><p>"This is not blaming the refs, but when I ask both refs if we have a reset timeout at the end, and they tell us no, and then we leave the game with the reset timeout, it's pretty frustrating," Stewart told reporters after the game.</p><p>According to league rules, each team is allocated two team timeouts and one reset timeout during overtime, allowing them to advance the ball without a sideline huddle.</p><p>Stewart elaborated, saying, "I asked Kevin [Fahy]. I said, 'Do we have a reset timeout?' And he said, 'I'm going to check at the table.' So then he looked to [crew chief] Fatou [Cissoko-Stephens], and she said, 'No.' So then he told me, 'No.'"</p><p>A late turnover by New York allowed Atlanta to extend their lead as Angel Reese, the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, made two free throws. The Liberty then inbounded the ball to Stewart, whose last-second shot missed as time expired.</p><p>Stewart commented, "Of course, who knows what happened to end the game. But we would have had hopefully a better shot on our goal."</p><p>Officials were unavailable for comment until approximately two hours after the game. In a pool report, ESPN asked crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens about Stewart's claim regarding the reset timeout. Cissoko-Stephens stated, "Stewart was standing behind referee Fahy when he confirmed with his partner between Reese's penalty free throws that New York did indeed have a reset timeout remaining."</p><p>The controversy has led the Liberty to formally inquire with the league about the situation, according to ESPN sources.</p><p>Liberty coach Chris DeMarco confirmed he was also told the team did not have a reset timeout. "Yeah, same thing. They just said we didn't have it. Multiple staff members [were told]. It is what it is. We've got to demand more. But it is what it is," he said.</p><p>Dream coach Karl Smesko also commented on the timeout situation, saying, "I thought they had a timeout left. But they played it out the way they did. So I was expecting it to be advanced, but it wasn't, so we had to play it, and fortunately we were able to get the stop."</p><p>Cissoko-Stephens noted that the scorer’s table and stats staff track the number of available timeouts, but emphasized that "teams are responsible for managing and tracking their timeout usage throughout the game."</p><p>In critical moments, the Liberty failed to capitalize on opportunities. With less than 10 seconds remaining in overtime, Sabrina Ionescu lost control of the ball while driving, sending it out of bounds. Ionescu took responsibility for the mistake, stating, "I told them it was my fault. I took ownership for that. This loss is on me. I've got to take it on the chin, and I've got to be better."</p><p>Atlanta's depth was evident as six players scored in double figures, led by Reese and Jordin Canada with 23 points each. The Dream's leading scorer, Allisha Gray, did not play due to a finger injury.</p><p>The Liberty now face the challenge of overcoming a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series, a feat never accomplished in WNBA history. Game 3 is scheduled for October 10, 2026, in Brooklyn, New York.</p>