Sarah Ashlee Barker lay on the court with hands on her face as confetti fell around her. But those were happy tears, as Barker had just given the Portland Fire their first win in 24 years. Going up against the New York Liberty, a title contender, the score was tied at 96 with a mere 6 seconds to go. Bridget Carelton fired off a three, which bounced off the backboard but Barker was there for the putback. The buzzer-beater etched Barker in WNBA and Portland history books but she refused to detail her feelings, citing a personal loss.

The ending was perfectly poetic for the Portland Fire. The original franchise had its first season in 2000 but folded in 2002 due to various reasons, including a restructure of the WNBA and financial difficulties. Ever since the city has been waiting for the WNBA to return. And in 2026 it finally did. The crowd pop after Sarah Ashlee Barker’s game winner signified just how much the Moda Center wanted it back. However, Barker was muted and emotional after the game due to a personal loss less than a day ago. 

“I’ll be honest, it’s been an emotional 24 hours. I lost somebody who was important to me yesterday,” Barker said in the post-game interview with her eyes red. “And so tonight was God’s strength, not mine. So just a perfect ending.”

There are no hints of the situation behind the scenes for Barker but whatever it was increased the magnitude of this winner. She looked visibly emotional after the win. And it’s especially significant considering she could not contribute much last season. The former Sparks star largely spent her rookie season riding the bench for the Los Angeles Sparks. She averaged 3.1 points in 14.1 minutes per game.

“The people that know the details know the details,” Barker further said. “But just for that to happen tonight, and with the support that my teammates, my coaches, and this organization have given me the past 24 hours, I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

This game was more than Barker’s final-second winner. Bridget Carleton had a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also collecting 4 steals. Carla Leite stepped up with 21 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Amid these exceptional performances, it seems odd that Barker managed to outrebound Jonquel Jones in that final play.

But, if you remember Barker from her college days, such clutch shots were the norm for her. Last year, she scored 45 points for fifth-seeded Alabama in a 111-108 double-overtime loss to fourth-seeded Maryland. 

When she was at Georgia, it was her corner three with 0.4 seconds left in regulation that tied the game at 75 and forced the extra period. The clutch gene has carried over to the WNBA, but now she can have a proper breakout season as well.

Sarah Ashlee Barker Set For A Breakout WNBA Season

After her Sparks stint, Barker was picked up by Portland Fire and has impressed immediately. She had 13 points on her Fire debut against the Chicago Sky while adding 4 rebounds. In this game she finished with 5 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Her defense and hustle, like in that final-second winner, have shown through with the Fire. 

“That’s just who she is. She’s aggressive, she’s gritty. It was meant to be that way, so I’m really happy for I’m proud of her,” Bridget Carleton said. After a phenomenal start to the season, Barker is set to have her breakout campaign after improvement in the offseason.

Playing Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball this winter, Barker averaged 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and was ranked as the league’s No. 10 player under Athletes Unlimited’s unique individual format. And in the limited time with the Fire, Barker has proved she can fit in Alex Sarama’s free-flowing system as well. In addition, Barker will also get more opportunity.

This team consists of strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carla Leite, and Emily Engstler, but they have never been primary options in the league. So, there will be minutes for Barker to prove herself. And this squad is still expected to be a developing one and not one to compete immediately. 

But if Barker manages to level up along with Carleton, Leite and Engstler, this team can give anyone the run for their money. They will have also gained some confidence after beating one of the title contenders in the Liberty. But consistency is something this team will strive for.