Tushar
Last night, the Seattle Storm delivered a compelling performance, rallying with a decisive 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to secure a 95-79 win over the Los Angeles Sparks.
This victory, part of their fourth game in the Commissioner’s Cup, was a significant bounce-back after a disappointing loss to the Minnesota Lynx on June 9.
“LA has a lot of talent. Their record doesn’t reflect the depth they have. It’s a tough matchup. They have firepower at many positions,” remarked Head Coach Nicolle Quinn.
Throughout most of the game, the Sparks kept it competitive, refusing to let the Storm pull away. However, with just over three minutes left on the clock, Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike, known for her clutch performances, hit a crucial corner three, extinguishing the Sparks’ hopes of a comeback.
The Sparks maintained competition for the most of the game, not allowing the Storm to get any closer. But with little over three minutes remaining, Nneka Ogwumike of Seattle—known for her clutch plays—hit a vital corner three, dashing the Sparks’ hopes of a victory.
Nneka is a big shot, Jewell Loyd remarked. “She works really hard at her game and her body, even though it looks effortless and easy.”
Remarkably, Ogwumike laughed at the moniker, stating, “That’s not what they call me.” It’s something I’ve never heard before. Ogwumike had a huge effect despite the humorous moment; she finished with a season-high 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, and an assist.
Her attention was completely focused on the game, even though it was her first regular-season matchup with the Sparks, the team she played for the first 12 years of her professional career.
“I simply show up and respect the game by playing it. I can focus for a long time. I want to play like that every night, and I played well against LA tonight,” Ogwumike remarked.
The excitement of the game was immediately apparent. After the Storm jumped out to an early 13-5 lead, the Sparks rallied, and the first quarter ended with a tie at 25.
Throughout the first half, the game remained close, with Seattle making several attempts to get ahead only to have Los Angeles pull them back.
Recently, Skylar Diggins-Smith has excelled with the Storm. She has averaged over six assists per game and scored 16 points or more in five of her previous six outings.
She had already produced 10 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds by the half against the Sparks. Due to foul trouble, Jewell Loyd took over for Ogwumike, who finished the first half with 13 points.
Ogwumike started to find her rhythm in the third quarter. She only scored eight points in the first half, but in the third, she scored eleven, including a buzzer-beating layup with Jordan Horston’s help.
Horston’s intensity off the bench changed the game, as demonstrated by her assist to Ogwumike and interception.
“Horston is incredibly talented. It helps us when she’s concentrated on her task, Quinn remarked.
The Sparks were able to cut Seattle’s advantage to six points in the fourth quarter, but any thoughts of a comeback were dashed by crucial three-pointers from Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith.
Seattle won the game with a 19-9 run that started with this six-point burst. “There was a lot of intensity in those moments, which was lacking in recent games,” Quinn observed.
The powerful defense of Seattle made it difficult for the Sparks to score. With seven games this season where they held opponents to fewer than 80 points, the Storm demonstrated their superior defensive performance, leading the WNBA in blocks.
We may become so engrossed in defense that we neglect to attack. Ogwumike stated, “Tonight was a good example of how we can get stops and convert them.”
The Storm have won seven of their last eight games quietly and without much fanfare since May 22. The players appear to be happy with their current condition.
“We keep things within the locker room, focused on our goals… Pokey [Chatman] said at halftime, ‘Our goals are big.’ That really resonated with me,” Ogwumike shared.
The Storm can compete with the best in the WNBA, as seen by their recent performances. In its current state, reaching those lofty objectives appears more and more feasible.
Source of this news: – bellevuereporter
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