Cameras Catch Liberty Head Coach Encouraging Players to Use Questionable Tactics

Given the way the Game 4 of the WNBA Finals was officiated, New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello knew the refs would likely play a big part in deciding the victor in Sunday’s winner-take-all Game 5.

So when she was talking over strategy with her players on the sideline during a timeout in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 67-62 overtime win over the Minnesota Lynx, she didn’t hesitate to point out something her team could exploit.

With the increasing number of questionable fouls called in the second half of Sunday’s game, video emerged on social media of Brondello encouraging her players to embellish if they were touched by any Lynx players.

“If they foul you, embellish it to get the foul, OK?” Brondello yelled.

While the ethical implications of Brondello’s advice can certainly be debated, it was a sound strategy given the refs’ willingness to blow the whistle for seemingly any kind of contact. New York finished with 25 free throws to Minnesota’s eight.

Not to mention Game 5 only went to overtime because Liberty forward Breanna Stewart drew a questionable foul while driving to the basket with 5.8 seconds left and trailing by two. She hit both free throws.

The dubious refereeing was so bad that social media was in an uproar after the game ended with a large contingency of WNBA fans accusing the league and the officials of rigging the game so the Liberty would win.

“I hate jumping on the ‘rigged’ bandwagon because it's so over used... But that WNBA finals game was rigged. 100% It's undeniable,” one fan wrote .

“That #WNBA game with #Lynx #Liberty was the most rigged game I’ve ever seen in sports. Most bull**** 3 fouls at the end in regulation. Should have been both offensive fouls or nothing called, and the Lynx get f***ed,” another chimed in .

“The Lynx were robbed idgaf what anyone says,” one user remarked .

“This Lynx WNBA finals game is the most rigged professional sports game I have ever witnessed. Makes a budding fan turn off the product,” another exclaimed .

Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve pulled no punches about the officiating in her post-game press conference, outright calling the officials out for costing Minnesota a WNBA championship.

“It’s a shame that officiating had such a hand in a series like this,” Reeve said. “Obviously, there’s always going to be a team that’s a little more disappointed than the other. … The headlines will be ‘Reeve cries foul.’ Bring it on…because this s*** was stolen from us.”

Related: Calls Mount for WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert to Resign After Game 5