Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Storm continue strong play with road win over Dallas Wings

Percy Allen Seattle Times

The Storm haven’t had to rely much on their role players this season, which isn’t surprising considering their quartet of stars dubbed the “Core Four” account for over 80% of their points.

But when the Dallas Wings trimmed Seattle’s 11-point lead to four early in the fourth quarter Thursday night and the crowd of 5,568 at College Park Center roared in anticipation of the home team snapping a five-game losing streak, the Storm turned to an unlikely source: their bench.

And that’s when Jordan Horston took over.

The second-year backup forward made three straight shots and reserve guard Sami Whitcomb drained a three-point dagger during a decisive momentum-swinging run that proved to be the difference in the Storm’s 92-84 win.

“It’s difficult to come into a game and have an immediate impact,” said coach Noelle Quinn, who spent the majority of her 12-year WNBA playing career — particularly the last five years — as a bench player. “Just like our starters have a job to start the game a certain way, our bench players and our role players do as well.

“If they lock into that all the time, we’re even better because they’re excellent players and they have a lot to give.”

Horston had 10 points while Whitcomb, who sank two 3-pointers, and backup center Mercedes Russell each had six. The trio combined for 24 points, six rebounds and five assists while Dallas received just 13 points from its backups.

“I thought Jordan’s focus was great,” Quinn said. “The defense she provided and even her offense today, I thought she was a force in the paint. Her decision making was really good.

“Once Sami sees a couple go in, she’s so deadly. … She’s a sniper and more than capable of giving us some points and energy. And then Cedes, she was a force. She got some 50/50 balls and she established herself.”

The Storm took the lead for good early in the second quarter, went up 48-40 at halftime and was ahead 71-60 late in the third.

Dallas countered with a 7-0 run to pull within 71-67 when Horston sliced into the paint for a contested pullup jumper. Then Skylar Diggins-Smith found Horston for a fast break layup followed by Whitcomb’s three-pointer.

Soon after, Diggins-Smith connected with Horston once again for a layup that capped a 9-0 spurt and gave Seattle an 80-67 lead with 6:55 left.

The Wings didn’t put up much of a fight the rest of the way.

“Today we really experienced some major minutes from our bench,” forward Nneka Ogwumike said. “We can even go deeper. That’s on us to take care of the game so that we can play every single person. We have a bench that can go deep and tonight we saw another building block from our bench.”

Seattle’s stars weren’t too shabby either.

Diggins-Smith finished with 21 points, six assists and three steals while Jewell Loyd had 19 points, six assists and four steals. Ogwumike added 17 points, six rebounds and two steals, and Ezi Magbegor tallied 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

The Storm had too much firepower and overcame a dynamic offensive display from Wings sensation Arike Ogunbowale, the WNBA’s second-leading scorer who had a game-high 24 points and thrilled the crowd with a midcourt three-pointer that banked in to beat the shot clock midway in the second quarter.

Teaira McCowan added 19 points and 10 rebounds and Maddy Siegrist had 16 points for Dallas (3-8), which lost its sixth straight game.

Any disappointment the Storm felt after tying for first in the Commissioner’s Cup race in the Western Conference and losing a tiebreaker that sends the Minnesota Lynx to the Cup final, quickly dissipated Thursday.

“At the end of the day those were games that we wanted to get better in and get those wins, but it’s not a letdown at all,” Quinn said. “I thought our team competed at a high level and really took the challenge of the Commissioner’s Cup.

“We tried our hardest to get there, but no disappointment though. I like the way in which we are playing basketball.”

The Storm, which finished 4-1 in Cup games, missed out on a chance at winning the $500,000 prize purse that goes to the Cup champion, but they’ve won eight of their past nine games and improved to 9-4 — tied for their best fourth start in franchise history.

“The Commissioner’s Cup was just kind of like a side street,” Quinn said. “The main goal is always to compete at a high level. The big picture is always in sight for me as a coach. What I preach, teach and emphasize is the next biggest game is the next game — the one in front of us.”

The Storm head to Phoenix on Sunday for the second game in their three-game road trip.