Youthful Storm Win 91-81 Over the Fire
Flau'jae Johnson led the way with 20 points.
(Seattle, WA) - The Seattle Storm (1-1) picked up their first win of the preseason after defeating their new (old) rival, the Portland Fire (0-1) by a final score of 91-81. Flau’jae Johnson led the way with 20 points on 5-12 FG shooting. She knocked down three 3-PT baskets and made 7-8 FT from the foul line. Johnson wasn’t the only scorer. Zia Cooke exploded for 19 points off the bench, packing an additional punch that the Storm desperately needed. Dominique Malonga added a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Mackenzie Holmes contributed with eight points and seven rebounds off the bench. Lexie Brown added six points and six rebounds. Rookie Taina Mair, only played 12 minutes (all in the second half), but led the team in assists with five dimes off the bench. It was her second game in a row leading the team in assists.
Seattle dominated the glass out-rebounding the Fire 43-32. They more than doubled Portland in offensive rebounds (17-8) and crushed the Fire in second-chance points (28-8). That was the key to the Storm’s victory. Seattle’s bench outscored Portland’s reserves 49-31.
The two teams combined for 83 free throws in the game. The Storm made 32-42 FT (76%) and the Fire hit 27-41 FT (67%).
Portland Fire
Luisa Geiselsöder was the fire’s most impressive player. She led the team in scoring with 15 points. Geiselsöder made 7-8 FT. Sarah Ashlee Barker added 14 points, including a couple of triples. Carla Leite contributed 12 points.
Rookie Serah Williams looked good for the Fire. She finished with nine points on a perfect 3-3 FG from the floor. Williams also had three rebounds. Haley Jones did a bit of everything, contributing six points, seven rebounds, and three steals off the bench.
The Fire outshot the Storm 41% (24-58 FG) to 34% (25-73 FG). They also had more steals (11-8) and blocked shots (7-4).
Game Breakdown
Lexie Brown drove to the rim, was fouled, and made both free throws. Emily Engstler got the fire on the board with a nice shot in the short corner. Flau’jae Johnson answered back with a three-pointer. Dominique Malonga was fouled and split the pair of free throws. The Portland Fire forced a turnover, and Sarah Ashlee Barker finished at the rim. Stefanie Dolson was fouled on a three-point attempt and knocked down two of her three attempts to put the Storm ahead 8-4. Seattle got a steal and then lobbed the ball ahead to Malonga for a layup. The Fire responded with a three-pointer by Luisa Geiselsöder.
Portland cut the lead to one after Serah Williams and Ashlee Barker scored on back-to-back possessions. Jaelyn Brown was fouled and made both free throws. Rennia Davis connected on a midrange jumper. Williams added two more at the foul line to cut the Fire’s deficit to one at 16-15. Mackenzie Holmes was sent to the foul line, a common theme throughout the first period. Jade Melbourne and Zia Cooke added more points from the free throw line.
Davis hit another midrange jumper. Luisa Geiselsöder connected on another three-pointer. Flau’jae hit another three-pointer. Seattle led 27-19 at the end of the first quarter.
Jordan Harrison scored for the Fire to open up the second quarter. Johnson hit a 15-footer for Seattle. Zia Cooke connected on back-to-back three-pointers to give the Storm their first double-digit lead of the game. Jade Melbourne found Stefanie Dolson for a layup to put Seattle ahead 37-25. Sarah Ashlee Barker and Megan Gustafson scored on back-to-back possessions to keep the Fire close.
Emily Engstler had a big-time rejection on Mackenzie as Holmes looked to score in transition. Malonga and Geiselsöder swapped free throws. A quick 8-0 run by the Fire cut the Storm’s lead down to two at 43-41. Seattle committed multiple turnovers against the Fire’s press and aggressive defense.
After Flau’jae split two free throws, the Portland Fire used a 5-0 run to take a one-point lead. After a Stefanie Dolson score, Emily Engstler knocked down a shot from beyond the arc to give the Fire the lead. Seattle tied the game when Johnson found Lexie Brown in transition for a layup. Flau’jae added more points from the foul line to put the Storm ahead 56-51.
Zia Cooke checked back in and gave the Storm a boost, knocking down another three-pointer. Taina Mair entered teh game after Jade Melbourne picked up her 5th foul in the third quarter. Mair made a beautiful pass to Malonga down low for two. Dom scored again off an offensive rebound. Seattle led 67-60 at the end of the third period.
Portland refused to go away. They went on a 9-3 run to begin the 4th quarter. That cut the Storm’s lead to just one at 70-69. Carla Leite had an AND1 3-PT play. Then Leite knocked down a triple. Peyton Williams connected on a three-ball as well. The Storm responded as Flau’jae hit a beautiful jumper, curling off the screen. Then Zia Cooke scored six straight points, including a four-point play with a three-pointer and a foul. Cooke was subbed out shortly thereafter to a loud ovation from the Storm Crazies.
Seattle was able to extend their lead back to double-digits. Jaelyn Brown, Mackenzie Holmes, and Taina Mair all scored from the foul line. Elle Ladine checked in and knocked down a three-pointer that got a loud cheer from the crowd and her UW teammates in attendance. Holmes scored again with a nice turnaround jumper in the paint. That put the Storm ahead 88-76. After a Portland score, Jaelyn Brown put the Fire out with a three-pointer, Seattle’s 9th of the game. In the end, Seattle won the game 91-81.
Final Box Score
Up Next
The regular season begins on May 8th, 7:00 PM, at Climate Pledge Arena against the Golden State Valkyries.
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