Seattle Storm will continue its four-market trip against New York Liberty, a defending champion at Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon.
Seattle (11-7) is a win over the top four teams in the WNBA standing, including a 10-point domestic win against New York on 22 June.
“It’s not difficult. When we play at a higher level and close inside, we are actually a good team,” said the storm coach Nole Quinn. “When we are not closed, we are not a good team. For us really, we have to show that we are improving every game. It’s a difficult program and a difficult season, but at the end of the day, players in our locker room are committed to each other.”
Seattle is headed by veteran all-stars Skyler Digins and Nekka Ogwumic. Digids scored a game-winner on a driving paste with 3.4 seconds in a 80-79 win against Atlanta’s dream on Thursday.
“Skylar Skyler does things,” Ogwumike said, who contributed 24 points. “She is tireless. She is walking. There is just a fire inside her that is burnt all the time. She is truly the head of our snake.”
New York (12–5) has dropped four of its last six matches, while its protecting WNBA is ranked fifth in WNBA in the 79.8 per game permission.
Liberty on Thursday welcomed the starter Leone Fiabich in a 89–79 win over Los Angeles Sparks. She missed the seven games playing for the team Germany in the Eurobacket.
Coach Sandy Brondelo called the game a win-win.
“I was proud of how we responded,” said Brondelo. “We were doing silly things. Once we turned into defense, our communication went to another level.”
Liberty is still remembering star Jonkel Jones with an ankle injury.
Natasha Claude has picked up scoring slack in the absence of Jones. He had a season-high 23 in a win against Sparks and has scored an average 19.0 points in the last three matches.
“Every day I have a blessing to come out and play,” said Cloud. “As a second round of draft pick (in 2015), to be able to continue to play at an elite level at a Dalit level, it really matters to wear freedom in my chest.”
-Bield level media
