SEATTLE FALLS TO MYSTICS LED BY THEIR GOLDEN YOUTH
Updated: 2 hours ago
In their first matchup of the season, the Seattle Storm hosted a young Washington Mystics squad headlined by rookie All-Stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, both recently selected for next weekend’s WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. On the other side, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Gabby Williams gave the Climate Pledge Arena crowd a preview of what’s to come, with five All-Stars sharing the court.
But the Mystics didn’t travel cross-country just to participate, they came to win. Behind a balanced attack led by Brittney Sykes (19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists), Sonia Citron (17 points, 6/6 free throws), and a double-double from Iriafen (10 points, 10 rebounds, +14 plus/minus), Washington earned a 74–69 victory, shooting 44.4% from the field compared to Seattle’s 36.2%.
The Storm struggled mightily to open the game, scoring just 10 points in the first quarter on 3-of-18 shooting (16.7%). Nneka Ogwumike hit the team’s first three, but Seattle missed seven straight shots before she knocked down another from deep nearly five minutes later. Meanwhile, Iriafen opened the game with a perfect 3-for-3 run, and Washington dominated inside, scoring 14 of their 16 first-quarter points in the paint.
Ezi Magbegor led Seattle’s second-quarter push, scoring 9 of her team-high 19 points while anchoring the defense with 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Off the bench, recent acquisition Tiffany Mitchell made an immediate impact, adding energy and scoring 10 points in just 13 minutes, including two clutch three-pointers. Despite the spark, the Mystics went into halftime up 31–28.
Ogwumike opened the second half with another three-pointer. Though she was less dominant offensively than usual (16 points on 5-of-15 shooting), her rebounding and defensive presence were key. Skylar Diggins-Smith, while limited to just 4 points (2-of-12 shooting), made history by moving into 9th place on the WNBA’s all-time assists leaderboard, dishing out 6 on the night. Behind Mitchell’s second burst and improved team defense, the Storm surged ahead 55–47 going into the fourth.
But missed opportunities told the story. Seattle struggled to finish around the rim, wasting well-executed plays with missed layups, and shot just 12-of-21 from the free throw line. With 4:28 left, back-to-back baskets from Sonia Citron, a three and a layup, gave Washington a one-point lead. Seattle briefly reclaimed it, but Sykes took over in crunch time, hitting a basket and two clutch free throws in the final minute.
Both teams traded turnovers under pressure, and with the score at 70–69 for Washington, the Climate Pledge Arena crowd rose to its feet as Ogwumike brought the Storm within one with just 40 seconds remaining. But the Mystics closed it out calmly at the line. Despite having more assists (13 to 6) and showing collective grit, the Storm fell short, outplayed in the final moments by a rising Mystics team that already looks playoff-ready.
Key Stats:
Seattle Storm: 36.2% FG, 25.9% 3PT, 13 assists
Washington Mystics: 44.4% FG, 21.4% 3PT, 6 assists
Largest Lead: 8 points (Seattle in the 3rd quarter)
Final Score: Washington 74 – Seattle 69
Seattle Storm
Ezi Magbegor: 19 pts – 7 reb – 2 stl – 3 blk
Nneka Ogwumike: 16 pts – 6 reb – 1 blk
Tiffany Mitchell: 10 pts – 2 reb – 1 ast
Gabby Williams: 6 pts – 5 reb – 4 ast
Skylar Diggins-Smith: 4 pts – 1 reb – 6 ast
Erica Wheeler: 4 pts – 3 reb – 2 ast
Washington Mystics
Brittney Sykes: 19 pts – 4 reb – 4 ast – 2 stl – 2 blk
Sonia Citron: 17 pts – 4 reb – 2 ast
Kiki Iriafen: 10 pts – 10 reb – 1 blk
Shakira Austin: 9 pts – 7 reb – 5 ast
Sug Sutton: 3 pts – 3 ast
Aaliyah Edwards: 4 pts – 3 reb
Interview with Dominique Malonga:
HIGHLIGHTS:
Comments