SEATTLE -- The Seattle Storm exacted revenge against the Phoenix Mercury in their home opener, 77-70. After the Mercury defeated Seattle 81-59 to start the season, they came determined to flip the script in front of their home fans. As both teams battled until the final whistle, the Storm’s thunderous defense earned them the win.

Both teams started the game with neither one gaining an advantage, ending the quarter tied 24-24. Skylar Diggins led the Storm with nine points, three assists, and one block. She became the first Storm guard in franchise history to start a season with at least one block in each of her first three games. Nneka Ogwumike (NEH-kuh Oh-gwoo-MIH-kay) also powered their offense, scoring eight points while grabbing two rebounds. Satou Sabally (SAH-two SAH-buh-lee) started the game out strong for Phoenix, scoring nine points and grabbing five rebounds in the period. Her frontcourt teammate Alyssa Thomas scored three points in the quarter with two assists and one steal. As the two teams continued trading leads, Phoenix gained a slight advantage heading into the locker room.     

With the second half in sight, the Mercury left the court with a lead over the Storm, 44-42. Both teams weren’t making many shots from the field, with Seattle making eight of their 23 attempts (34.8%) and Phoenix converting eight of their 19 attempts (42.1%). After showing off her scoring in the first, Diggins became the facilitator for the Storm. She had five of her 14 total assists in the quarter, to go along with five points. Diggins’ career-high 14 assists tied a franchise record for assists in a game, set by franchise great Sue Bird. Rookie forward Dominique Molonga (muh-LONG-uh) made her home debut, scoring two points with one rebound and one steal in five minutes. After the game, Diggins spoke about her teammates’ potential as one of the next greats of the franchise. 

“(Molonga)’s playing behind two of the greats, but she’s getting in where she fits in,” Diggins said. “She’ll be a star on this team for 20 years, and to see her in her development and be a part of the first one is pretty special.”

Although the game wasn’t their desired result, Thomas showed more of her scoring in the second period, scoring eight of her 16 total points while adding five rebounds. As the two teams exited the locker rooms to start the second half, Seattle took command with their defense.  

The third quarter ended with the Storm taking a 62-61 lead. Ogwumike scored 10 of her 24 points in the period for Seattle, making all five of her attempts. Erica Wheeler came off the bench ready to play, scoring two points and one assist in the quarter. She was given more opportunities in the second half and became an important part of their win. The Storm’s defense also played a key part in their win, as they only allowed 26 points in the second half. Gabby Williams did her part on that end of the floor with her five rebounds and two steals in the win. She also scored 11 points and made three of her seven three-point attempts (42.9%). Although the Mercury struggled in the second half, their French guard Monique Akoa Makani (Uh-Koh-Uh Muh-CON-ee) was a bright spot. She scored 14 points in the contest, eight of which were in the fourth quarter, to go along with one rebound and two assists. Seattle’s defense in the second half solidified the win for them, showing their potential on that end early in the season.

Although the Storm’s offense wasn’t perfect, they showed in this win that their defense can win them games. As the season continues, Seattle is showing signs that it will be one of the best defensive teams in the league.