Chicago Sky guard Dijonal Carrington was ejected from Saturday’s WNBA matchup against the New York Liberty after a hard foul that sent star guard Sabrina Ionescu crashing to the floor with a blow to the face.
The incident unfolded late in the second quarter at Barclays Center with the game tightly contested. Ionescu received an outlet pass and raced into the open floor for a breakaway layup. Carrington, who had checked in minutes earlier and already scored six points, sprinted from behind in pursuit. Instead of cleanly contesting the shot, Carrington’s extended arm connected squarely with Ionescu’s face and jaw, snapping her head backward and sending her hard to the hardwood as the ball dropped through the net.
Ionescu remained down for several seconds before rising, visibly shaken and angry. She immediately advanced toward Carrington, gesturing and exchanging heated words while Liberty teammates and coaches rushed in to separate the players. The crowd erupted in a mix of boos and gasps as officials huddled.
After a lengthy video review, the foul was upgraded from a common foul to a flagrant-2. Officials cited excessive contact to the head of a player in a vulnerable position with clear follow-through. Carrington was automatically ejected and walked off the floor to a chorus of boos from the home crowd, shaking her head in frustration.
At the time of the ejection, Carrington had provided an early spark for the Sky off the bench. Ionescu, after a brief evaluation on the sideline, returned to the game and finished with 24 points, including a series of clutch threes that helped the Liberty pull away for an 89-81 victory.
Liberty coach Sandy Brondello called the foul “unnecessary and dangerous,” praising Ionescu’s toughness for returning. Sky coach Tyler Marsh said Carrington was simply trying to make a play on the ball but accepted the officials’ decision. Neither player spoke extensively after the game, though Ionescu noted she felt the contact was “beyond a basketball play.”
The ejection added extra intensity to an already physical Eastern Conference battle and left both sides looking ahead to their next meeting later in the season.
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