The Storm nearly erased a 20-point hole on Sunday, but the comeback stopped one basket short in an 82-80 loss to the Chicago Sky that closed Seattle’s three-game homestand.
Without starting point guard Natisha Hiedeman, who sat for the first time this season because of a left shoulder injury, the Storm fell to 7-30 for their 30th loss of the year. Rookie guard Flau’jae Johnson returned after missing two games with an ankle injury, and Seattle got plenty from its frontcourt and bench, but it still couldn’t quite finish the job.
Dominique Malonga was the bright spot again. The All-Star center finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds for her 15th career double-double, which ranks sixth in franchise history.
She also swatted a career-high four shots as the Storm set a franchise single-game record with 13 blocks. Ezi Magbegor added a season-high 17 points, while reserves Awa Fam and Zia Cooke both reached double figures.
Chicago had its own All-Star carrying the load. Kamila Cardoso led the Sky with 22 points and 12 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season. Natasha Cloud added 20 points, and Courtney Vandersloot finished with 15.
Seattle’s start was rough. The teams traded misses to open the game before Jordan Horston finally got the Storm on the board with a layup at 2:08.
Cloud answered 15 seconds later, and Chicago rolled from there, ripping off an 11-0 run to build a nine-point lead with 4:43 left in the first quarter. Cardoso scored six in the period, while Cooke gave Seattle a lift late with five points over the final three minutes.
Still, the Storm were stuck at 23-11 after one, their lowest scoring quarter of the season.
The second quarter brought a brief jolt. Magbegor opened it with a layup off a Johnson pass, giving Johnson her 100th career assist.
Later, Johnson knocked down a three-pointer at 3:35 to trim the margin to 10 and give Seattle a real opening. But the Sky answered immediately, with Cooke’s steal quickly undone by a turnover that led to a Vandersloot basket.
That play helped Chicago stretch the lead with a 14-5 run, capped by Cardoso’s layup at 7:12 for a 44-25 advantage. Malonga and Jade Melbourne scored late, but Seattle still went to halftime down 46-29.
The Storm’s best stretch came in the third. After Cardoso and Vandersloot pushed Chicago ahead by 20, Seattle stormed back with a 15-2 run to cut it to seven with 3:38 left in the quarter.
Magbegor was everywhere on defense, blocking Vandersloot at 4:17 and then again 26 seconds later, part of a season-high five-block performance. Melbourne’s three-pointer at 8:12 kept the Storm in striking distance, and when Awa Fam hit from deep and Cooke added a free throw, Seattle had sliced the deficit to five, its closest margin since early in the first quarter.
Malonga and Fam then knocked down free throws to keep the Storm within five heading into the fourth.
Chicago pushed back right away in the final period. Williams, Vandersloot and Rachel Banham scored three straight baskets to open the lead to 12.
Seattle responded again, with Cooke, Melbourne, Malonga, Fam and Magbegor all contributing as the Storm closed to within two. Melbourne and Johnson each added a block to keep the game alive, and the finish turned into a parade to the foul line.
Malonga and Fam each hit both free throws after Sky fouls, trimming the gap to one with 20.3 seconds left. Three more fouls gave Chicago an 82-80 edge with 9.9 seconds remaining, and Melbourne’s running layup at the buzzer didn’t fall.
Seattle now heads to Dallas to face the Wings before returning home for another three-game homestand.
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