For the primary time since 2002, a staff named the Portland Hearth is again within the WNBA column after an exciting conquer the New York Liberty.
The coda got here after midnight on the East Coast, however the Portland Hearth efficiently penned the primary Cinderella story of the 2026 WNBA season.
Sarah Ashlee Barker’s two-point putback as time expired put the rebooted Hearth within the win column for the primary time in its transient existence. That allowed Portland to put up a 98-96 victory over the New York Liberty at Moda Heart on Tuesday evening, turning into the latest staff to enter the league’s victorious ledgers.
„Truthfully, it was like a surreal second, it was simply form of like a thanks,“ mentioned Barker, who put up simply 5 factors, albeit an important pair of all. „It was a tough recreation, I will be sincere. I want I’d’ve performed higher. However, on the finish of the day, you do the little issues, you attempt to make up for issues. So long as you are enjoying onerous, you are rewarded on the finish, and that is what I attempt to do.“
WNBA’s latest growth staff Portland Hearth simply beat the Liberty on the buzzer. You’ll be able to’t make this up. pic.twitter.com/N3Ct2QnMQA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) Might 13, 2026
Portland Proves Scrappy and Savvy So Far
Critics claimed that Portland maybe obtained the brief finish of the stick within the growth draft that additionally featured the Toronto Tempo. Whereas there is a lengthy option to go within the debut season, the outcomes have confirmed fairly admirable within the early going.
Portland stored tempo with the Chicago Sky in its Saturday tip-off earlier than ultimately falling by a 98-83 last. It held its personal after which some in opposition to the contending Liberty, overcoming a number of sizable deficits to drag off the win. The early stanzas have been outlined by a balanced mixture of finesse and physicality, traits that rose to the event on the good instances on Tuesday evening.
„We by no means gave up. I feel that was the enjoyable half,“ de facto franchise face Bridget Carleton mentioned of the Hearth’s early identification. „We’re a staff. Each preseason video games, after which each common season video games, we simply do not quit. We’ll be annoying and there for 40 minutes. It may be onerous to play in opposition to us.“
„It isn’t about me, it is in regards to the staff on the finish of the day,“ added Barker. „Yeah, I used to be the one who shot the shot. However you noticed it on the finish of the sport after they all got here in and obtained on high of me, the togetherness, the eagerness, the love, the grit. We’re by no means going to surrender, like Bridget says. It is very particular and one thing I am going to at all times keep in mind. However I feel the factor that I am going to keep in mind probably the most is how a lot we’ve got one another’s backs on this second.“
Head coach Alex Sarama known as the truth that the franchise received its first recreation by means of an offensive rebound putback and Barker’s breakout past her regular defensive identification as „Portland Hearth 101.“
„We wish groups to come back right here and never look ahead to enjoying us on the schedule as a result of no staff within the league goes to play tougher than us,“ Sarama mentioned. „That is what the sport plan is each single recreation for the remainder of the season.
„It means the world, actually, to [win] right here. This can be a particular place, and I’ve realized that already. I am so excited to see what we’ll construct with the items we’ve got … I actually, actually imagine that we’ll construct one thing particular within the long-term right here and I am unable to wait to see it by means of.“
Carla Leite Shines Regardless of Damage Scare
Each run of seafoam was seemingly silenced by a response from deep, as Carleton and reserve Kamiah Smalls united for 9 3-pointers. Smalls, on her fourth staff and 14th recreation since coming into the league in 2020, additionally tied her career-best with 13 factors.
The output from Carleton helped her set a brand new career-best in scoring and showcased her trademark protection to the tune of 4 steals. Emily Engstler engaged in additional soiled work to the tune of three blocks and two steals on an evening of 18 takeaways that produced 25 additional factors, together with Barker’s last pair.
Carla Leite v Liberty
21 Factors 4 Rebounds 6 Assist1 Steal 8/14 FG 5/5 FT pic.twitter.com/mjPoeLtcUE
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) Might 13, 2026
By far the perfect was Carla Leite, off on her second-straight tour with an growth squad after spending final 12 months with the Golden State Valkyries. The 22-year-old compelled her onto the scoresheet with 12 visits to the foul line on Saturday (hitting all however one of many subsequent singles) earlier than rising as an sudden heroine on Tuesday.
Leite’s evening appeared over when she crumbled to the ground as a result of an obvious lower-body harm endured throughout late third-quarter motion. She returned halfway by means of the ultimate body and scored six factors inside. Two on the foul line and a penetrating finger roll helped Portland maintain the sport tied earlier than Barker obtained a would-be winner from Carleton’s deep palms.
Sarah Ashlee Barker Displays on Journey to Rose Metropolis
Barker obtained area on three New Yorkers to safe the fateful rebound and instantaneously flung up the winner. With the shot falling by means of the web with loads of time to spare, the town of Portland celebrated its first WNBA victory since 2002, the ultimate season of the unique Hearth staff that hosted Tully Bevilaqua, Vanessa Nygaard, and Jackie Stiles.
„it was a surreal feeling“
Head Coach Alex Sarama on the second the ball went within the air and Sarah Ashlee Barker sealed the sport. pic.twitter.com/R1UBfe6YOa
— Portland Hearth (@theportlandfire) Might 13, 2026
Any emotion that Barker displayed on the ground, as Leite rapidly jumped on her fallen type following the shot, hardly in comparison with what was bottled inside. The previous Los Angeles Spark spoke of a „tough 24 hours“ as a result of an unnamed private concern and located the right option to reimburse the Hearth for his or her religion and help.
„The help my teammates, my coaches, this group has given me the previous 24 hours, I do not need to be wherever else. I am precisely the place I am purported to be. That is all God’s power,“ Barker mentioned. „That is what obtained me by means of this recreation, that is what is going on to proceed to get me by means of the subsequent couple of months. This group is one thing particular. My teammates are one thing particular, and also you noticed that tonight.“
„I really feel like she’s a workhorse, day in and time out,“ fellow reserve Smalls mentioned of Barker after the previous made her Portland debut on Tuesday. „I am joyful she will get to stay by means of this second. She deserves it.“
Liberty Falls Regardless of French Frenzy
Burned on a historic Tuesday evening was the Liberty, which continues to work with out Pacific Northwest legends Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally.
New York’s offense has stepped up admirably within the wake of early absences, however discombobulation reigns on the defensive finish, which can be lacking the prolonged antics of Rebecca Allen and Leonie Fiebich.
The turnovers have been notably pricey because the unit tries to press ahead in a brand new period: regardless of scintillating scoring, New York (2-1) has endured a turnover on over 20 p.c of its possessions, worst amongst groups which have performed a minimum of two video games.
Marine Johannès is RIDICULOUS 😠pic.twitter.com/2sfE0OgOzO
— Ladies’s Hoops Community (@WomensHoops_USA) Might 13, 2026
Liberty reps have been primarily involved about their defensive lapses within the aftermath: they led by 9 on the onset of the third quarter however misplaced that lead in lower than three minutes. That comes two days after the Liberty led by as a lot as a dozen through the third quarter of a vacation hang-out in Washington. That lead was whittled to a few by the top of the interval, and the Liberty ultimately wanted additional time to flee the capital with a win.
„I feel that when we’ve got the lead, [we have to know] that the opposite staff goes to come back out and attempt to punch first,“ mentioned Breanna Stewart, who had a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double in defeat, albeit on 4-of-12 taking pictures whereas hounded by Engstler. „That is on me, and I am going to get the remainder of the group actually able to go, as a result of we have struggled with this prior to now, and we do not need to have that proceed.
„I feel principally we should be higher once we’re enjoying second and third motion,“ Stewart mentioned of the Liberty tempo. „That is form of why it will get stagnant. However, additionally, the staff is making an attempt to get the ball in the appropriate individuals’s palms, and this staff particularly is throwing traps, throwing double groups. So I feel we have to simply maintain our composure going ahead.“
Pauline Astier Shines Regardless of Late Errors
Stealing the headlines for New York has been the French dispatch of Marine Johannés and WNBA rookie Pauline Astier, who united for 42 factors in Tuesday’s loss. Johannes has flourished in an prolonged alternative in DeMarco’s new system, placing up 60 complete factors over the primary trio.
Astier is the newest New York worldwide challenge to interrupt out: coming into Wednesday, she’s second in rookie scoring behind solely second general alternative Olivia Miles and second in discipline purpose share amongst freshmen girls with a minimal of 5 makes an attempt per recreation, subsequent to fellow worldwide emergence Emma Cechova.
However the offensive rising pains surfaced on the worst time on Tuesday: New York had an opportunity to carry on for the ultimate shot, or a minimum of one thing near it, however as a substitute confronted its last turnover when Astier was known as for a three-second violation.
„There have been a billion errors made in that recreation, so it was simply a type of. I am certain [Astier] wished she had it again, however, you already know, we nonetheless had an opportunity to get a cease and power additional time,“ DeMarco mentioned. „We’ll be all proper. It is the start of the season, there are new rosters for lots of those groups, we’re going by means of some stuff ourselves. We’ll make the changes and ensure we’re defending the three-point line a bit of bit higher and securing the ball. You flip the ball over lots, it hurts our protection. Quite a lot of this communication is simply being in the appropriate spot. So yeah, we’ll maintain at it.“
These thrilled by the Liberty and Hearth’s maiden voyage will not have to attend lengthy for the sequel, as the 2 sides are set to do battle once more on Thursday evening at Moda Heart.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
