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Nneka Ogwumike leads Seattle Storm past short-handed New York Liberty

Percy Allen Seattle Times

SEATTLE – Nneka Ogwumike had to shoot because there wasn’t time to do anything else.

Ahead by three points in the final two minutes Sunday against the New York Liberty, Ogwumike retrieved a pass at the top of the key and drained a dagger three-pointer as the shot clock expired.

That’s all the Storm needed to hold on to an 89-79 win and their sixth victory in the past seven games.

Ogwumike led the way with 24 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals while Skylar Diggins added 20 points, six assists, two steals and two blocks and Gabby Williams chipped in 12 points, six rebounds and 10 assists for Seattle, which improved to 9-5.

During a fight for control in the first half, the lead flipped seven times and the Storm went up 43-42 at the break.

Seattle outscored New York 25-19 in the third quarter to surge ahead 68-61.

The Storm appeared to deliver an early knockout at the start of the fourth quarter when Williams ripped the ball away from Liberty forward Rebekah Gardner and raced down court with Dominique Malonga leading a fast break.

At that moment, the sellout crowd of 12,500 at Climate Pledge Arena collectively held their breath.

Would this be the moment the rookie phenom flushed her first dunk in the WNBA?

Williams dropped a pass to Malonga in full sprint and the 6-foot-6 center took two long strides before rising and gently laying the ball off the glass for a layup that put the Storm up 74-64.

Led by former Storm star Breanna Stewart, New York cut its deficit to 82-79 with 1:52 left when Ogwumike went to work.

Stewart scored 18 points, Marine Johannes had 17 and Gardner 12 for the short-handed Liberty, who were missing Sabrina Ionescu (neck), Jonquel Jones (ankle) and Leonie Fiebich, who is away from the team and playing in the Eurobasket tournament.

The Storm shot 42.7% and Seattle forced 20 turnovers at the start of a three-game home stand that continues Tuesday against the Indiana Fever and concludes with Friday’s matchup with the Connecticut Sun.