The Seattle Storm just ended an 11-game losing streak, and with second-year center Dominique Malonga rewriting WNBA record books, they host a battling but injury-scarred Portland Fire squad on Friday night.
Seattle (7-28) had dropped 11 games in a row before Monday’s 97-88 win over the Chicago Sky. Malonga tallied 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the 20-year-old center became the youngest player in WNBA history to reach career totals of 300 defensive rebounds and 100 made free throws. Malonga shot 9-for-14 and hit a trio of 3-pointers on the way to her 14th career double-double.
Natisha Hiedeman added 18 points and nine assists in the effort and reserve Zia Cooke added 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting off the bench.
Seattle has become the first team mathematically eliminated from the WNBA playoff hunt, but coach Sonia Raman saw plenty to praise in the streak-busting victory.
“They’re the same locker room from Day One that they are right now,” said Raman. “They’ve weathered a tough season and they’re still out there playing super hard.”
Raman called Malonga “a walking double-double” and complimented “the improvement we’ve seen from her this season.”
Portland (13-20) had won two in a row and made a valiant run at a third straight win on Wednesday but couldn’t rally from 29 points down in an 85-81 home loss to Minnesota.
The Fire were without leading scorer Carla Leite (15.5 points per game) who injured her left knee in Saturday’s 100-93 win over the Storm. Without Leite, Bridget Carleton led Portland with 16 points and five rebounds. Megan DiLeo added 12 points and seven boards and reserve Teja Oblak tallied 11 points while dishing out nine assists.
Portland trailed 64-35 early in the third and still faced a 68-51 deficit heading to the fourth. But a determined run came up just short, as Portland could not get closer than within one after Emily Engstler split two free throws with 1:44 to play.
Coach Alex Sarama praised the defensive effort to scratch back, noting, “I think when we have that identity and we’re actually taking care of what our principles of play are, we can compete with any team in the league.”
This is the season’s final matchup between these teams, with Portland winning the first three by a combined 17 points.
–Field Level Media
