Portland Fire HC Reveals Why He Left Court Following Buzzer Beater Win Against Liberty
You could barely hear the buzzer over the noise inside the Moda Center after the Portland Fire delivered a last-second winner that secured the franchise’s first victory in history. A new expansion team, in just their second official game, staging a comeback that was sealed with a buzzer-beater against a team like the New York Liberty was beyond wild. Speaking on the exact moment the ball went in to seal the game, Head Coach Alex Sarama described it as a “surreal feeling” during his postgame interview.
But in the midst of all that excitement, he was seen quickly leaving the court. Now, he revealed why. “Just like sheer elation in the moment and just so proud for the players,” Sarama said in the post-game conference.
“And then I wanted it to be their moment, that’s why I left. You know, I got off the court pretty quick because it’s all about them. And I’m just so proud of what we did tonight.
” This victory was unexpected, given the massive gap in team caliber and how much the game defied expectations. The Portland Fire is a first-year expansion team with rookies and players left unprotected during the expansion process. The New York Liberty, on the other hand, entered the game with a loaded roster anchored by former MVP Breanna Stewart and All-Stars like Jonquel Jones.
Early on, the Liberty really looked firmly in control. They built a seven-point halftime lead and were still ahead after the third quarter. However, in the fourth quarter, the Fire staged a comeback.
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