Storm Surge Past Dream 105-90

The Seattle Storm picked up their 2nd impressive win in a row.

Written By: Ana Lise Devery
Twitter: analisedevery

(Seattle, WA) - On a Saturday evening on Pride Night, the Seattle Storm (5-15) comfortably took down the Atlanta Dream (12-7), with a final score of 105-90. The Storm held the lead over the third-place Dream for the whole length of the game, outscoring them in all but the second quarter. This is the Storm’s second consecutive win since they broke their 11-game losing streak on Thursday.

Seattle shot a season high of over 60% from both the floor and behind the arc, with all five starters scoring in double figures. It also marked another 100-point night, the second for the Storm this season after Monday’s overtime thriller against the Dallas Wings.

The real standout from this game, though, was the performances from the Storm’s rookies. Flau’jae Johnson led Seattle in scoring with 24 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Awa Fam set a career-high with 21 points, making all but one of her shots (8-9 FG). When the young core of the Storm shines like this against some of the top teams in the league, it becomes a sign of how high their ceiling might be.

The rest of the starters also made valuable contributions. Dominique Malonga also had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Natisha Hiedeman added 20 points and six assists, and Jade Melbourne had 10 points, five assists, and an impressive plus/minus score of +25 for the time she spent on the court.

After the game, Johnson reflected on where the team is at right now in the context of their season.

“There’s gonna be ups and downs, but I think we’ve had our downs and now we’re trying to grow linearly. But you know, growth is not like [that]. But as long as we keep coming out like this, we’re gonna be okay.” Johnson said.

The three-point shooting percentage was a big difference-maker, with Atlanta only shooting 24% from downtown compared to Seattle’s 61%. They also out-rebounded the Dream, grabbing 34 to their 26, including eight offensive boards when the Dream only had six. On the defensive side, the Storm also had four blocks, while the Dream had none.

Atlanta Dream

The Dream were led by a strong night from Rhyne Howard, who scored a game-high 27 points on 10-17 FG shooting and played all but two minutes of the game. Angel Reese had 17 points, and Jordin Canada almost reached a double-double with 10 assists and eight points. Allisha Gray also made an impact despite a rough shooting night, adding 15 points and making five of her 16 FG attempts.

Naz Hillmon, an expected starter for the Dream, was on rest and did not play, with this being the team’s second consecutive night of games. Atlanta dropped a tightly contested affair 78-75 to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night.

The Dream forced 18 turnovers from the Storm, including seven steals, and were able to capitalize off them. They scored 16 of their points off these turnovers. Additionally, they were shooting significantly better from the free throw line than the Storm, with 89%.

Game Breakdown

Natisha Hiedeman won the tip for the Storm and immediately drove in towards the basket. Her shot didn’t fall, but Dominique Malonga snatched the rebound and scored. Then Awa Fam hit a corner three, and after another empty Dream possession, did it again, bringing the Storm to an 8-0 run in the first minute and twenty seconds of the ball game, forcing Atlanta to call a timeout.

Malonga blocked a shot from Madina Okot, and the ball made its way back to Fam, who scored yet another three-point shot down at the other end. Flau’jae Johnson was fouled on a shot and made one of her two free throws.

Atlanta’s first points of the night came at the 5:30 mark of the first quarter, with Angel Reese sinking two free throws. Their scoring continued with back-to-back layups from Sika Kone and Rhyne Howard. Jordin Canada got a nice welcome back to the city she began her WNBA career in by sinking two free throws. Johnson hit back with the same, completing two of her own down at the other end. Flau’jae then scored a reverse layup.

Howard got two of her own for the Dream and her first field goal of the game. Stefanie Dolson then scored a three-pointer. Reese hit one of her two free throws, and Jade Melbourne and Canada traded layups to end the quarter. Seattle led 21-13 through the first 10 minutes.

To open the second, Angel Reese scored on a fadeaway shot. Dolson grabbed the rebound from Melbourne’s missed layup and popped it right back out to Jade, who was able to score from three. Reese was fouled by Malonga and scored both of her free throws.

Rhyne Howard connected on a three-pointer, and Malonga muscled in for a layup. Malonga then had a successful three of her own, but Howard was able to answer with two more and bring the Dream to within one possession.

Howard added to her tally by sinking a jumper, and Dolson and Natisha Hiedeman both scored layups. After a Storm timeout, Allisha Gray scored two free throws, as did Madina Okot after her.

Johnson delivered the ball to Fam, who was positioned perfectly for a layup. But down the other end of the court, Okot scored two of her own to bring Atlanta within a point, the smallest differential of the night thus far. Fam sunk a three, maintaining her 100% make rate of the night.

Jordin Canada scored a jumper, and Katie Lou Samuelson was fouled, making both of her shots from the line.

Fam blocked a shot from Reese. On that play, Johnson hit a jumper, then spun in for a layup on the next possession and brought the Storm’s lead back to eight. Fam scored a layup on top of that, and Allisha Gray knocked down a three at the other end to lead into halftime. Seattle led by seven, 46-39, at the break.

Allisha Gray hit on a jump shot to start the third period. Johnson got three points on a jumper with an And-1, bringing her to a double-double at the very start of the second half. Dominique Malonga scored another, then Jade Melbourne hit a three-pointer. Malonga got a steal and looked like she was going for the dunk, but was called for traveling.

Angel Reese sank a layup over Melbourne but was unable to complete the corresponding free throw. Malonga made one of two foul shots at the other end, and Flau’jae Johnson got her first three-point make of the game. Reese banked in a shot, as did Isobel Borlase. Awa Fam landed a layup of her own over three Atlanta defenders.

Rhyne Howard continued leading the way for the Dream, hitting another three-pointer. She had 20 of the team’s 52 points as she carried the offensive load for Atlanta.

Natisha Hiedeman sank a three from the corner. The Dream had Borlase, Okot, and Gray respond by all scoring layups in quick fashion. Johnson returned with her own, and Hiedeman converted two more free throws.

Melbourne spun around into a pretty layup, but immediately had one scored over her by Gray. Malonga sank a jumper. Te-Hina Paopao countered with a quick three, but Hiedeman answered back with her own after two attempts, thanks to an offensive rebound from Katie Lou Samuelson.

Fam had a technical foul called for a defensive three-second violation as Rhyne Howard successfully completed the technical free throw. Sika Kone made a layup, and Johnson responded with a jump shot. The Storm went into the fourth quarter up 78-66.

Zia Cooke delivered on a three-point shot, plus the foul, to start the last quarter of basketball. Gray finished at the rim, and Reese was fouled by Malonga and made both free throws. Reese added a jumper to her total, and Fam attempted a three-pointer for her first miss of the night.

Jordin Canada scored a layup, and Cooke responded with her own. Johnson got a steal and passed to Hiedeman, who converted the jump shot. Reese was fouled by Dolson and made both foul shots. Hiedeman hit another shot and was fouled, also adding the extra free throw. Howard then scored two more from the foul line, as did Kone.

Malonga was subbed out of the game with five fouls, which also used up the Storm’s coach’s challenge after it was unsuccessful. Atlanta then used their challenge to regain possession after an out-of-bounds call, and were able to convert that possession into a jump shot from Rhyne Howard. Flau’jae got a layup before Howard got another.

Johnson then drilled a three-point shot just as the shot clock expired to get the arena on their feet. An offensive foul put the ball back in the Storm’s hands, and Awa Fam added another triple. After a rare missed three from Howard, Melbourne found Malonga for the layup and forced an Atlanta timeout. Hiedeman then made two free throws and had a little dance for the crowd, completing a 10-0 run for the Storm with all their starters on the floor and actively involved.

Dom Malonga fouled Allisha Gray, with the consequences of two made free throws and Dom fouling out of the game with her 6th personal foul. Hiedeman added a layup, and Borlase made a three-point basket. Hiedeman got to shoot a free throw from an off-the-ball foul and made it.

Up by 15 with a minute and twenty seconds remaining, the Storm subbed out Johnson, Fam, and Hiedeman to thunderous applause from the Climate Pledge Arena crowd. The Storm were able to dribble and let the clock run out for a final score of 105-90.

Final Box Score

Editor’s Note:
I’m adding the post-game interviews to the game recap, because I’ll be writing something else instead of the traditional Part 2. Look forward to that on Sunday morning. - Jeff Brown

Atlanta Dream Interviews:

Player Interviews

Flau’jae Johnson and Awa Fam:

Coach’s Quotes

Coach Ramam pre-game:

Coach Raman post-game:

Up Next

The Seattle Storm (5-15) head back down to the desert to face the Phoenix Mercury (6-13). The two teams play on Thursday, July 2nd at 7:00 PM. Phoenix has already beaten Seattle twice this season, first in Seattle by a final score of 72-68 and more recently in Phoenix by the score 93-73.

Notes:
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Photography Credits: Seattle Storm/WNBA Photography
Thanks to Her Hoop Stats and Across the Timeline for being great resources!

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