By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Highlights and Lowlights: Storm vs. Mystics Recap

The Storm had their best offensive performance in Sunday’s 97-85 win over the Washington Mystics. In Wednesday’s 78-64 loss to the Mystics, it was the exact opposite.  The usual slow start saw the Mystics bolt to a 23-9 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter. A 9-0 run late in the quarter kept the Storm in the game, and they trailed by just eight points after the first quarter at 28 to 20.  The form’s offensive cohesion did not last.

DISASTROUS SECOND QUARTER

The Storm hesitated and held the ball on the offensive set in the second quarter.  The team was discombobulated on offense.  Few off-ball movements, and when there was movement, passes were slow to recognize the open person. The My stics, on the other hand, were smooth in their offensive sets. A combination of inside and outside play left the Storm chasing shadows on defense.  The team scored 9 points in the quarter, while the Mystics scored 20. 12 of the 20 points came from inside the paint.

“You can’t give up 28 points in the first quarter and score just nine in the second,’’ Jade Melbourne said in her post-game interview. “It’s not good basketball.

BETTER SECOND HALF

What the Storm did do was play basketball in the second half.  An 8-runoff start to the third quarter cut the deficit to 11 points and gave hope to Storm faithful.  The period quickly faded with an 11-3 run by the Mystics, which ballooned the lead back up to 20 points at 41-61 with three minutes left in the quarter. The culprits were poor rebounding, poor ball movement, and a lack of execution on open shots.  The art ended with the Mystics holding a commanding 66-45 lead.

IMPROVED PLAY IS NOT ENOUGH

The Storm finished the game on a strong note, scoring the Mystic 19 to 12 in the final quarter, but it was too little too late.  When you are chasing the game, it is difficult to get over the hump. There are plenty of positives for Raman and her team can take from the loss. The biggest negative, and it is a big one because it is an occurring theme, is the slow start to the game.

Raman and her coaching staff have to find a way to have the team ready to play in the first quarter and learn the art of patience on both ends of the court.  On defense, the Storm were quick to leave their man on closeouts and on rebounds. One of the keys for the Storm is to look for that extra pass to move the defense and create an open lane.

GAME NOTES

KEY STATS OF THE GAME 

  • Seattle scored 34 points in the paint, accounting for 53.1% of their scoring.  
  • The Storm grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, one shy of their season best. 

STORM HIGHLIGHTS 

  • Jade Melbourne tied her season high with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting, scoring eight points in the third quarter. She also added three rebounds and tied for a team-high three assists. 
  • Mackenzie Holmes set a new career high with 10 rebounds, including a career-best four offensive boards. She tallied eight points on 3-for-4 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three – a new career high for three-pointers made. 
  • Katie Lou Samuelson scored a season-high eight points, shooting 66.7% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. She also recorded two steals. 

MYSTICS HIGHLIGHTS 

  • Shakira Austin led the Mystics in points (18), rebounds (13), and assists (5). 

UP NEXT: The Storm opens a two-game road trip in Toronto against the Tempo on Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. PT. The game will be broadcast locally on KOMO and The CW Seattle, and will be available on Prime Video for users in Washington State. 

Discover more from Cascadiasports.net

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply