WNBA Game Report: New York Liberty 81, Seattle Storm 87

One of the stand-out, highlight games of the WNBA season so far took place on Saturday 27th at the KeyArena in Seattle, where the Seattle Storm faced the visiting New York Liberty.

The teams exchanged baskets throughout the first half, with no more than five points ever separating them. Playing assertively, the Liberty had the lead at the end of the first quarter and looked to build on that as the game resumed. The Storm responded with an 11-point scoring run, giving them their biggest lead of the game. New York fought back, and after a large number of lead changes, Seattle got themselves in front by five. Sugar Rodgers made a three – the final play of the half, to reduce the half-time arrears to two.

For the home team, Jewell Lloyd had sixteen points, continuing her high-scoring run that’s made her one of the early talking points of the season, while Breanna Stewart had 20 points to go with a twelve rebounds, continuing to show the skills and drive that make her one of the league’s best defensive players.

The second half began to follow the same pattern of tight play and slender lead changes. Good outside shooting from Tina Charles gave New York back the lead, which eventually grew to 10. Charles led the way for all scorers with 28 points for the Liberty while teammate Sugar Rodgers had 21, which included six three-pointers. The two combining to make more than half of their teams points in this game.

Biggest for Seattle was Samantha Whitcomb. Coming off the bench she made six three pointers from eight attempts, finishing with 22 total points. It was late in the third when she started to make her presence felt, making three outside shots to eat into New York’s lead.

The final 1:30 of Q3 saw great shooting and highlight reel moves from both sides, but at the end Seattle would find themselves behind by five.

Whitcomb’s form continued into the fourth quarter, as she continued to hit shots and prevent the lead from getting away from her team, despite the best efforts of Tina Charles. Sugar Rodgers re-took the lead for New York, who then stepped up their defence, looking to close the game out.

Late in the game Breanna Stewart would give the Storm a one-point lead from the free-throw line, and Samantha Whitcomb made a three-pointer with less than a minute to go to give Seattle a decisive cushion as the game closed out. New York tried to save themselves but could not get a shot to fall in the final moments. This highly exciting, unpredictable game that built to a tense finish ended in Seattle’s favour, 87-81.

Official game home: http://www.wnba.com/game/20170526/NYLSEA/