Nneka Ogwumike’s double-double leads Storm past Sky
Surpassing not one but two all-time WNBA milestones in the same game is not the norm, but for Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, it seems to be a hallmark of the point guard’s entire career.
In front of a crowd of 11,283, which included UW legends Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas, along with EuroLeague’s all-time leading scorer Mike James, Diggins-Smith not only moved past Temeka Johnson to 15th on the WNBA’s all-time assist list, but also became the 34th player in WNBA history to score 4,500 points or more.
“We didn’t even mention that in the locker room,” forward Nneka Ogwumike said. “Those are two milestones we should have mentioned. It’s no surprise. I’m just really, really happy to be on this team when she achieved those two milestones.”
Led by Ogwumike’s 24 points and 13 rebounds, two points shy of her season high, along with Jewell Loyd’s second-half eruption that saw her finish with 20 points, the Storm secured the season series against the Chicago Sky with an 84-71 victory at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday afternoon.
“There are times when you get to thinking too much. It’s not like you forget how to play the game but you’re overconsumed with schemes, stops and making sure you’re running and executing things,” Ogwumike said. “Jewell was basically like, ‘We just need to hoop.’ They’re hooping, we just gotta hoop and respond and step it up a level. That’s really helpful in those grind out moments.
“I think it definitely helps me realize, not just what I’m capable of, but what my teammates encourage me to be capable of.”
Sky rookie Angel Reese also made history in impressive fashion by becoming the first player in league history with 13 consecutive games recording a double-double, tallying 17 points and 14 rebounds.
“Congratulations to her,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. “What she’s been doing her first year in the league is obviously legendary.”
Seattle, which had won eight straight at home before Friday night’s loss to the Sky, knew that getting back on track wasn’t just about trying to win the rebounding battle, but about putting up a fight.
Much of Reese’s success over her 13 consecutive double-double games stemmed from her dominance on the offensive glass.
As the league leader in both offensive rebounds and total rebounds, limiting her opportunities to track shots off the rim was crucial after struggling to do so in the first two meetings.
“It’s extra possessions for them,” Quinn said pregame. “A player like that who just goes to the glass with heart, desire, athleticism, strength, it’s hard to neutralize. We have to gang rebound. Our guards have to come out and help out a lot more today.”
When a team pairs that with 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso, the first quarter saw why the two rookies have been so effective together up to the midway point of the season.
Not only did the Storm struggle to keep the duo off the glass, but the Storm also couldn’t score inside, going 3 of 15 in the paint while allowing Cardoso to grab five offensive boards in the first quarter alone.
After scoring just 12 points in the first quarter, Diggins-Smith rallied the crowd to get loud following back-to-back threes by Sami Whitcomb, which gave the Storm their first lead of the game early in the second quarter.
When your team is struggling to create good looks, turning to your star player is always a solid option. But it wasn’t until the final minutes of the first half — when Loyd finally scored her first two points of the game at the free-throw line — that the struggles of the first half were fully summed up.
To start the third quarter, Diggins-Smith found Ezi Magbegor on a pick-and-roll, leading to Magbegor finishing with a smooth up-and-under reverse layup.
While it was just a routine pick-and-roll near the left block, this assist held special significance in the history books as it not only extended her streak to 10 straight games with five or more assists but also elevated her position on the WNBA’s all-time assist list.
Two plays later, Ogwumike found Diggins-Smith streaking up the sideline, and Diggins-Smith drove coast-to-coast to tie the game at 42, also marking her 4,500th career point.
“She’s the general,” Ogwumike said of Diggins-Smith. “Coach’s nickname for her is ‘Debo.’ Yes it is a reference to Friday — a 1995 film with Ice Cube. She’s really like the muscle and brain of the team. That’s a huge asset to have, especially as someone who plays point guard in this league. It’s very rare that you have a (point guard) that can organize people and get hers as well.”
Quinn added, “Her passion to play the game gives us a lot of energy on both sides of the court. So whether it’s her getting a bucket or finding her teammates, she reads the game well. Her competitive nature, her dog, all those things give us a lot of confidence.”
In the midst of these milestones, a 16-3 run to start the quarter helped push the Storm ahead, and they never looked back.
Unleashing her venom with a barrage of pullup jumpers, fadeaways and aggressive drives that earned her easy looks at the foul line, the Gold Mamba, Loyd, followed up her subpar game Friday night and a challenging first half with 12 points in the third quarter.
“I just stay aggressive,” Loyd said. “I felt like I could get to the lane and get to my midrange. I think sometimes, I know I’m a pretty good three-point shooter and a scorer in general, but the midrange is like my bread and butter. I feel like some teams think I’m nervous in that area, but I actually like it a lot. I took advantage of that.”
A day after it was announced that Magbegor — as well as Whitcomb — would be playing alongside Storm legend Lauren Jackson for the Australian team in Paris for the second consecutive Olympic Games, she followed a franchise-record eight blocks in her last outing by securing her 10th rebound midway through the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 13 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for her sixth double-double of the season.
The defending champions, Las Vegas Aces, come to town on Wednesday to face the Storm (14-7) at noon at Climate Pledge Arena.