NEW YORK (Interstat) — Jonquel Jones recorded 22 points and 17 rebounds to lead the New York Liberty past the Toronto Tempo 97-82 on Wednesday night at Barclays Center. The Liberty won their third straight game to improve to 6-4, while the Tempo fell to 5-5.

Breanna Stewart added 19 points after halftime, finishing with 17 in the second half for New York. Stewart also grabbed nine rebounds and dished four assists. Marine Johannes chipped in 15 points, Leonie Fiebich scored 14 and Satou Sabally contributed 12 points off the bench.

Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey each scored 17 points for Toronto. Nyara Sabally added 11 points and six rebounds. Laura Juskaite had eight points and five rebounds.

New York played without All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu, who remains sidelined with a back injury. Coach Chris DeMarco said before the game that Ionescu is making progress but has appeared in only one contest this season.

The game marked the return of former Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who led New York to its first WNBA championship in 2024 before being let go after last season. The franchise’s winningest coach received a warm ovation from the crowd of 14,574 when she was introduced before tip-off.

New York took control in the second quarter after a tight first period. Toronto led 20-17 after the opening 10 minutes, but the Liberty outscored the Tempo 23-14 in the second quarter to take a 40-34 halftime lead. Jonquel Jones scored eight points in the period, including two 3-pointers, as New York’s defense held Toronto to 5-of-18 shooting in the quarter.

The Liberty extended their advantage in the third quarter, pouring in 30 points while holding Toronto to 24. Breanna Stewart scored 10 points in the period, and Johannes added nine, including a 27-foot 3-pointer that put New York up 70-58. Toronto’s Marina Mabrey kept the Tempo within striking distance with 11 points in the quarter, but New York’s lead grew to 12 entering the fourth.

The Tempo cut the deficit to nine early in the fourth quarter on a layup by Brittney Sykes, but the Liberty responded with a 7-0 spurt. Jonquel Jones hit a 26-foot 3-pointer, and Leonie Fiebich added a pair of free throws to push the lead to 87-74 with less than six minutes to play. Toronto never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

Key moments included a stretch late in the third quarter when Marina Mabrey hit a step-back 3-pointer and a driving floater to bring Toronto within 78-73, but Satou Sabally answered with four straight free throws and Han Xu added a turnaround jumper to restore a double-digit cushion.

Sykes led Toronto’s effort with 17 points, five rebounds and three steals. Mabrey had four assists and three rebounds. Maria Conde contributed seven points and six rebounds. Kiki Rice finished with eight points, four rebounds and three assists.

New York’s balanced attack featured five players in double figures. Jonquel Jones posted a double-double with 22 points and 17 rebounds, plus two blocks. Stewart’s second-half surge included a 3-pointer with 1:06 left that sealed the outcome. Pauline Astier added seven points and five assists.

The Liberty’s defense forced 14 Toronto turnovers and limited the Tempo to 38.5 percent shooting from the field. New York shot 46.2 percent and made 11 of 28 from 3-point range.

Toronto had won three of its previous four games, including a 93-72 home victory over Seattle on May 30 and a 111-104 overtime win at Chicago on May 27. The Tempo’s road trip continues Sunday at Chicago.

New York next hosts Indiana on Saturday. The Liberty have won three straight after losing four of five earlier in May.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of New York 92, Toronto 81. New York entered the game as an 8.5-point favorite, and the Liberty’s probability to win was 64 percent according to Interstat’s ELO system. The combined 179 points went over the over/under line of 171.5.