By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Storm snap 11-game losing streak with gritty 97-88 win over Chicago Sky

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It was a fast start for the Storm, who jumped out to an 8-2 lead on   Jordan Horston’s three-point play and a Jade Melbourne’s three-point play.  Horston started the game for the injured Flau’jea Johnson. Johnson sat out the game due to a left ankle injury.

The Sky cut the Storm to just two points at 11-8, but never caught the Storm, and the home side finished the quarter with a 22-16 lead. Horston and Melbourne each scored five points in the quarter to pace the Storm. DiJonai  Carrington led the  Sky with six points.

COLD SHOOTING QUARTER FOR BOTH TEAMS

Both teams went ice cold in the second quarter, with the Sky making 7 of 17 shots for a 42%   shooting percentage.  The Storm’s shooting percentage was worse than the Skies’; the Storm made  7/19 field attempts for a  36% shooting percentage. What saved the  Storm was tenacious defense and relentless pursuit of the ball after missed shots. Seattle outrebounded Chicago 11-8 overall and allowed the Sky just one offensive rebound. The Storm finished the quarter with nine defensive rebounds and two offensive. he Storm finished the first half with 22 rebounds and nine forced turnovers. Balanced scoring from the  Starters and the bench saw the Storm outscore the Sky 25 to 17 in the quarter and take a 47-33 lead into the halftime break.

HOT SHOOTING THIRD QUARTER

Both teams found their shooting touch in the third quarter. The Sky made 10/17  for a 58% shooting percentage. They made 9/17 for a 52.9 %. The 33 points in the quarter were the same number of points the  Storm scored in the first half.   Azura  Stevens ‘ layup with  39.9 seconds brought the  Sky within four points at  70-66.  Back-to-back free throws and a driving lay-up by Natisha Heideman expanded the Storm’s lead to 74-66 with zero left in the quarter

STORM  SAY STEADFAST

The teams traded baskets to start the quarter.  A driving layup by Taylor Thierry saw the Storm expand its lead to ten with 8:24 left in the game. The team continued to trade baskets until the Storm hit a cold spell, which saw the Sky cut the deficit to just two points on a driving layup by  Dijonai Carrington with 2:52 left in the game.

A  Dominique Molanga driving lay-up was followed by a three-point basket by  Zia Cooke to give the Storm a 86-82 lead with 2:12 left in the game.  A free throw by Carrington saw the Sky cut the deficit to five points on a bucket by Kamilia Cardoso.  It was the closest the  Sky would come to threatening the  Storm’s lead. For the first time in 11 games, the Storm stayed determined, steadfast, and banded together for the win.

POST GAME NOTES

KEY STATS OF THE GAME

  • Seattle scored 22 points off 15 forced turnovers, just the fifth game this season the team has recorded 22+ points off turnovers.
  • The Storm never trailed in the 97-88 win against the Sky, and their 17-point lead in the third quarter marked the team’s third biggest lead of the season.
  • Seattle tallied 25 free throws, which tied the team’s second-highest total so far this season, and the team’s 89.3% free throw percentage marks the third-highest free-throw percentage in a game.

STORM HIGHLIGHTS

  • Dominique Malonga led Seattle with 26 points on 9-for-14 shooting (64.3%), including a career-high three made threes on four attempts (75.0%). With 10 rebounds and three blocks, she tallied her 14th career double-double, which is tied for sixth all-time in Storm history. Malonga also became the youngest player in WNBA history to 300 career defensive rebounds – surpassing Lauren Jackson, who was 22 – and the third youngest to 100 career free throws made.
  • Natisha Hiedeman scored 18 points, banking a career-high 12 free throws while shooting 100% from the line. She also led the Storm with nine assists.
  • Zia Cooke tallied 16 points, two assists and two steals in her 21 minutes of play off the bench.
  • Jordan Horston contributed 10 points, including 4-for-5 from the free-throw line, six rebounds and two steals.

SKY HIGHLIGHTS

DiJonai Carrington led Chicago with 26 points off the bench, and Kamilla Cardoso added 15 points and 13 rebounds.

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