WNBA Feature: Former UConn Star Bria Hartley Has Become the X-Factor in the New York Liberty Surge

By ROB KNOX

@knoxrob1

 

NEW YORK – Even as whispers of doubt swirled through her head, Bria Hartley’s faith never wavered.

 

The concerns were valid for the electric New York Liberty guard. Would she return as the best version of herself after giving birth to a boy, adjusting to a new team following a trade, and recovering from nagging foot injuries?

 

“It was an adjustment I had to make personally for me,” Hartley said in June following a Liberty win over Dallas at Madison Square Garden. “I had to understand that things don’t come as quick as you think they’re going to. You go out there sometimes and you get frustrated because things you’re normally able to do, you can’t do. I just had to keep working, trust the process and take it day by day.” 

 

It’s taken some time, but Hartley has found her groove.

 

Hartley’s shimmering streak of excellence has helped the Liberty soar to its current five-game winning streak and into the WNBA playoffs for the third consecutive year. Among the victims during the Liberty’s recent run have been the league’s top three teams in the standings: Minnesota, Los Angeles and Connecticut. In each game, the Liberty rallied from an early double-digit deficit to eventually sprint to victory. 

 

At 17-12 overall and sitting in fourth place overall in the standings, New York is looking to keep the good times rolling when it visits Indiana Wednesday and hosts Washington Friday night.

 Hartley has been the spark plug during New York’s winning ways, guiding the Liberty to a 9-3 record since entering the starting lineup with purpose, poise and passion. 

 

A whippet from Long Island, the former UConn star has performed at a high level since re-joining the starting lineup on July 16. Over the previous 12 games Hartley has scored in double figures eight times, twice matching her season-high of 17 points, averaging 11.5 points per game while shooting .444 from the field and .418 from 3-point range.

 

She led the Liberty in scoring in back-to-back games for the first time this season, posting 17 points at San Antonio on Aug. 1, and following that up with 16 against the Sparks on Aug. 4.

 Hartley scored in double figures in four-straight games from Aug. 1-11, her longest such streak since her rookie season in 2014, when she had a stretch of five-straight games from June 13-22.

 

Since being inserted into the starting lineup as point guard, the move has allowed Epiphanny Prince to play shooting guard and Sugar Rodgers to thrive while providing firepower off the bench. 

 

The Liberty has seen improvement across the board in nearly every offensive category, in some places drastically, particularly with a scoring average jump of nearly four points per game and an opponent points per game that has decreased by nearly five points.

It’s been a lot of work to get back to this point for Hartley, who was determined to showcase her special ability that made her one the WNBA’s most dynamic young players. She worked out while she was pregnant. With her family nearby, she was able to focus on getting back in shape. 

 

“After having the baby, I lost a lot of muscle,” Hartley said. “It’s always been hard for me to build muscle in the first place and building that back was one of the toughest things for me. 

“I made sure I worked out during my pregnancy. Maintaining the muscle I had was the biggest thing for me. I lifted two-to-three times a week while I was pregnant. Six weeks after giving birth, I was able to start on my core workouts. Four weeks after the baby, I was doing basic work like planks, and mat work. The lowest level workouts to build up.

 

“Also, I was going out to White Plains to work out with Teresa Weatherspoon three times a week. I loved working with her and I was glad that I was able to work with her before the season started.

  “It helped build my confidence. When I didn’t go, I worked out on Long Island with my trainers and lifting weights. I was grinding out and doing multiple workouts a day to get myself back to this point. I have a long way to go.”

 

Being traded from Washington proved to be a blessing in disguise for Hartley. 

 

“I was excited especially with the new baby,” Hartley said of the trade. “I am closer to my family so it made this situation a lot easier. Coming here to New York, I got more of an opportunity to play a little bit more and make an impact. I didn’t start the way I wanted to the first few games, but now I am making progress.”

 

Being pregnant also helped Hartley’s ankle heel. During the last two years in Washington, her explosiveness was reduced to a sputter because of injuries. 

 

“I had foot problems and a history with that,” Hartley said. “It helped to take that time off and I haven’t had time like that in a long time.

“Obviously, you’re not resting because you’re pregnant so your body goes through a lot of changes and you have to recover from that as well. It’s good and you don’t have the pounding on your body when you’re playing overseas and in the WNBA. The rest was good for me and came at the perfect time.”

 

Just like Hartley’s gorgeous game returning right on schedule to help the Liberty enjoy a potentially lengthy playoff run.

 

NOTES: New York leads the WNBA in defensive field goal percentage at .409 and has held three of its last four opponents under 40 percent from the field … Over the past five games, New York is limiting its opponents to just 70.6 points per game and .371 shooting from the field and .297 from 3-point range …  The Liberty has held three of its last five opponents under 40 percent from the field, and limited both Los Angeles and Minnesota to fewer than 70 points when they visited New York.