Sarah Ashlee Barker hits buzzer-beater to lift Portland Fire to first win over Liberty
The win was the first for the Fire since they returned to the league.
The Portland Fire have officially won their first game since returning to the league, all thanks to Sarah Ashlee Barker. Barker was in the right place at the right time and snuck in a buzzer-beater to lift the Fire to a 98-96 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday night. With the game tied up, Bridget Carleton tried to hit a 3-pointer over Liberty star Breanna Stewart, though Stewart tipped the ball just barely.
But Barker found herself wide open in the lane, easily grabbed the rebound and put it back up before the horn sounded. That sent the Moda Center into a frenzy and sparked a huge celebration under the rim. SARAH ASHLEE BARKER AT THE BUZZER TO GIVE PORTLAND ITS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON 💪 (via @espnW ) pic.
twitter. com/UPrtJgwtjr — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 13, 2026 The win marked the first for the Fire since they returned to the WNBA this season along with the Toronto Tempo in the league’s latest expansion. The Fire played three seasons from 2000-02, but ended up folding.
The Fire fell to the Chicago Sky 98-83 in their season-opener, and dropped both of their preseason games. They now sit at 1-1. Barker finished with five points and went just 2-of-5 from the field off the bench in the win.