Aces’ Liz Cambage refocused after resting during Olympic break

Liz Cambage needed a break. From basketball. From the rigors of beingness arsenic a nonrecreational athlete. From everything.

“I had nary thought however exhausted and stressed and breached I was,” the Aces’ All-Star halfway said. “I pulled retired (of the Olympics). I slept for a week. And past it took maine different 3 days to get retired of bed. And past I went consecutive backmost to work.”

Cambage re-emerged from the Olympic interruption Sunday with 17 points and 7 rebounds against the Washington Mystics astatine Michelob Ultra Arena, keying the biggest fourth-quarter comeback successful franchise past with her ascendant two-way play in an 84-83 victory.

The 29-year-old hadn’t played for the Aces since July 7 but is energized aft 5 weeks of rest. She played to a team-high plus-10 against the Mystics, who conscionable the Aces again Tuesday.

“There’s a antithetic spot oregon a antithetic demeanor astir her close now,” Aces manager Bill Laimbeer said. “She’s precise driven. She wants to triumph a championship. She knows she tin contribute, and it’s conscionable a beingness close present that I haven’t seen each the clip that I’ve been with her.”

Cambage was successful the midst of different productive play for the Aces, averaging 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and anchoring 1 of the WNBA’s champion defenses. She was expected to beryllium the centerpiece of the Australian nationalist squad astatine the Tokyo Olympics, but withdrew portion the squad was grooming successful Las Vegas.

Long an advocator for intelligence health, Cambage wrote connected Twitter and Instagram that she had experienced panics attacks and bouts of insomnia successful the weeks preceding the travel to Tokyo. She expounded connected her determination aft Sunday’s game, noting she was “in a spot wherever I can’t springiness you anything. (When) I’m exhausted. I can’t springiness anyone anything.

“Thinking astir coming backmost present aft the Olympics, I was conscionable truthful overwhelmed,” she said. “So I’m truly blessed I took the break. I enactment maine first. I enactment the Aces first, due to the fact that if I went to the Olympics, determination would person been nary mode I could person returned to play.”

After resting for 10 days, Cambage returned to Los Angeles to train. She rejoined the Aces past week, steadfast and blessed and determined to play her portion successful their quest for a championship.

“We’re hooping. My occupation is 1 of the champion games successful the satellite — successful Vegas, with a clump of dope girls, dope fans, stars, organization,” Cambage said. “We tin get caught up successful however superior it is, but astatine the extremity of the day, I hoop for a living. And it’s the biggest blessing successful the world.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.