Liberty bracing for physical battle against Angel Reese, Sky

The Liberty are set to make their road debut Thursday in Chicago.

And despite the Sky’s lackluster season opener, Jonquel Jones is expecting Thursday’s game to be a dogfight.

“They use their physicality to kind of mask some of the other ways that they may not be there yet,” Jones said Tuesday. “And I think that if we go in there and we think it’s just gonna be a cakewalk and it’s just gonna be an easy game then you look up and you’re down 20 points and you’re wondering why.”

The Sky looked like a team that remained a work in progress in their lopsided season-opening loss at Indiana.

Chicago committed 17 turnovers and was plagued by lousy shooting, while Caitlin Clark and crew had their way for most of the game.

Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins and Kia Nurse — three players who were added, in part, to help with floor spacing and open opportunities for post players Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso — combined for 19 points on 7-of-23 shooting.

What the Sky have going for them is that they played the part of a gritty and strong rebounding team, especially on the offensive glass.

Since Sandy Brondello has been harping on her team to limit second-chance opportunities, the Sky might be a good test for the Liberty in that aspect.

“We just have to be ready for that level of physicality,” Jones said. “We have to be ready and understand that we got to hit first.”

Marine Johannès announced on her Instagram story Wednesday that she won’t be playing for France in next month’s EuroBasket.

“It was a choice that was definitely not easy to make,” Johannès wrote in French. “But it seems to me to be the right one today.”

The news is unfortunate for the French women’s national team, but good for the Liberty, who are now anticipating losing only two players to the biennial tournament.

Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich are expected to step away from the Liberty next month to compete for Germany.

EuroBasket is scheduled to run June 18 to 29.

Rebekah Gardner expects her return to Chicago will stir up some emotion for her.

Gardner went undrafted out of UCLA and spent a decade playing overseas before the Sky gave the 6-foot-1 guard her first WNBA opportunity back in 2022.

Gardner, then 31, put together an All-Rookie campaign before separate injuries sidelined her at points the past two years.

The Sky traded Gardner’s rights to the Liberty before the 2024 season for two second-round picks.

Thursday’s game will be Gardner’s first time back since the trade.

“I’m looking forward to going back,” she said. “I love New York, but that was my first home, so I’m excited.”