On Sunday, July 1, the Seattle Storm defeated the Connecticut Sun 89-83 in a grueling overtime victory. The Storm had lost their last eight games in Connecticut, a stretch that went back to 2003.
Camille Little scored a career-high 27 points for the Storm. She also contributed nine huge rebounds. Tina Thompson added 20 points and seven rebounds. Ewelina Kobryn scored 13 points in less than 15 minutes of playing time. Sue Bird had 11 points and eight assists.
Despite playing without Ann Wauters, who missed the game due to a calf injury, the Storm used their outstanding defense to keep the Sun at bay. The Storm's defense held the Sun to just 35 percent shooting from the field. Both teams fought hard for the win. They changed leads 16 times during the game and tied the game 12 times, including the tie that put the game into overtime.
The Sun had four players who scored in double digits. Kara Lawson scored 22 points for the team. Allison Hightower had 16 points. Asjha Jones and Tina Charles both had double-doubles. Jones scored 15 points and 11 rebounds. Charles had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Sun.
Bird and Katie Smith each scored three-pointers and Little contributed five points in overtime to outscore the Sun and secure the win.
The New York Liberty defeated the Storm 77-59 on June 30, a loss that head coach Brian Agler said "got our attention." In that game, the Storm shot only 32 percent from the field. Despite playing back-to-back games, the Storm used the short time they had available to refocus and regroup. In the game against the Sun, they demonstrated their resilience in the face of defeat. They also showed tenacity and a hunger to win.
With this win against the Sun and their earlier defeat of the Minnesota Lynx, the Storm have broken a few long-held losing streaks against the top teams in the WNBA. Even more exciting is the fact that they have managed to achieve these big wins without Lauren Jackson. When she returns after competing in the Olympics, I have a feeling the Storm will be unstoppable.
Anne Bucher has been a devoted follower of the WNBA since its inception in 1997. A Texas native, she cheered the Houston Comets on to their four consecutive championship titles. Now she lives in the Northwest and roots for the Seattle Storm.
