​MONTREAL (AP) — Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected from the New York Liberty’s 93-91 loss to Toronto on Sunday after she threw a shoe that struck Tempo guard Marina Mabrey in the back late in the fourth quarter. Laney-Hamilton had been trying to retrieve the sneaker for teammate Jonquel Jones after it slipped off, but the errant toss ricocheted and hit Mabrey. Following a review, officials assessed a technical foul to Laney-Hamilton — her second of the game — for throwing a “projectile on the court.” The call came with 1:48 remaining and after Mabrey had completed a free throw, giving Toronto a 91-89 lead. The Liberty had battled back from a 20-point deficit but came up short.
“I’ve never seen anything like that. We had all the momentum in the world. A shoe hit somebody. Ejected, free throws. I’ve also never seen a ref make such an atrocious call when he’s on the other side of the floor,” Liberty coach Chris DeMarco said after the game. The pool report did not address intent, only that the shoe hit Mabrey in the back and Laney-Hamilton was issued the technical. DeMarco noted that Laney-Hamilton wasn’t trying to hit Mabrey, who agreed with that assessment.
“I had to take a couple breaths,” Mabrey said in response to being struck by the shoe. “But I think she was really just trying to get the shoe back to JJ. But I’ll take the free throw.” Mabrey and Laney-Hamilton had clashed throughout the game, each drawing a technical foul in the third quarter as well. Toronto coach Sandy Brondello, who previously coached the Liberty, said she believed the shoe contact with Mabrey was unintentional.
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