Seattle Storm forward Natasha Howard (6) goes up to block a shot by Las Vegas Aces forward Angel McCoughtry during the first half of Game 2 of basketball’s WNBA Finals, Sunday in Bradenton, Fla. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/The Associated Press)

Seattle Storm forward Natasha Howard (6) goes up to block a shot by Las Vegas Aces forward Angel McCoughtry during the first half of Game 2 of basketball’s WNBA Finals, Sunday in Bradenton, Fla. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/The Associated Press)

WNBA Finals: Seattle Storm one win away from title

  • The Associated Press
  • Sunday, October 4, 2020 5:20pm
  • Sports

BRADENTON, Fla. — Breanna Stewart and a record-setting unselfish offense have the Seattle Storm on the verge of another WNBA championship.

Stewart scored 22 points to lead five Storm players in double figures in a 104-91 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday in Game 2 of the best-of-five series. The Storm will try to win their second title in three years Tuesday night.

“This is our moment to really finish the series and take home the championship,” Stewart said.

The Storm, champions in 2004, 2010 and 2018, know it won’t be easy to close out the series.

“Stay in the moment. They are good. The score doesn’t indicate it,” said Sue Bird, who ran the show on all three of the Storm’s titles.

Two days after she set the WNBA Finals and playoffs record with 16 assists, the 39-year-old guard had 10 to go along with 16 points. The team had 33 assists to set a WNBA championship-round record.

“Having high assists isn’t abnormal for us. Thirty-three is amazing, goes to show the unselfishness of everyone on the floor and the confidence we have in one and another,” said Alysha Clark, who added 21 points. “Pass up a good shot to get a great shot. When you do those things 33 assists happen, wow.”

Natasha Howard also had 21 and Jordin Canada added 10 off the bench to go along with Stewart, Bird and Clark’s double-digit effort.

“Our performance today was better than Game 1 having a balanced approach,” Stewart said. “Game 1, Piph, Jewell (Loyd) and I were the only ones in double figures. It was more balanced when we needed it.”

The Storm took over after Las Vegas had rallied from a 13-point deficit in the first half to take a 65-64 lead with 3:22 left in the third quarter. Seattle scored 22 of the next 30 points over the next six minutes to go up double digits again with Jewell Loyd ending the burst with a 3-pointer that made it 86-73 with just under seven minutes left. Las Vegas couldn’t respond.

A’ja Wilson had 20 points to lead Las Vegas while Angel McCoughtry and Emma Cannon added 17 each. Cannon provided a spark off the bench for the Aces, who were missing Sixth Woman of the Year Dearica Hamby with a knee injury. The Aces had 15 turnovers to the dismay of coach Bill Laimbeer.

“We’re our own worst enemies sometimes,” he said. “Our turnovers hurt us badly. They are a fine basketball team, and you can’t make those type of blunders against them.”

Laimbeer’s team faced two elimination games against Connecticut in the semifinals before winning both to reach the championship round.

“Our focus is winning one game,” he said

Trailing by six at the half, Las Vegas made a run to take a 53-52 lead on McBride’s 3-pointer early in the third quarter. The Aces led 65-64 with 3:22 left in the period before the Storm closed with an 11-3 burst.

Seattle held a 48-42 halftime lead behind 12 points from Stewart and Clark. The Storm, who had 17 assists on their 18 baskets, built the lead to 13 before Las Vegas rallied to the six-point halftime deficit.

More in Sports

Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group 
Sequim’s Lars Wiker, with ball, is tackled by, from left, Forks’ Gage Willenbrink, Bubba Hernandez and Sawyer Graham. Hernandez, Graham and Willenbrink were all honored in all-league voting by Class 2B Central League West Division coaches.
PREPS: Sawyer Graham, Bubba Hernandez lead Forks’ all-league football picks

Spartans comeback falls just short, one more shot at state

Kennedy Rognlien, Port Angeles girls soccer goalkeeper
PREP SOCCER PLAYOFFS: Riders give No. 5 Spartans all they can handle

PA loses 2-1 in penalty kicks but still alive in postseason

The Future Riders C team won the Olympic League championship late last month with a last-second victory. Back row, from left, are coach Nathan Hofer, Jonathan Ermineskin, Ashton Page, Seager Fowler, Jordan Billingsley, Damanson Sifagaloa, James Murray Jr., Cannon Delabarre, coach Josh Love, Jonathan Armenta, Duke Sifagaloa, Rhyder Murray, Paisley Johnson, Miles Philp, Coach Ryan Detorres, Camden Cox, Coach Lukas Cox, Joshua Shiepko and Ben Botero. From left, front row, are Dreyson Black, Alistair Hodge, Jackson Haguewood, Aaron Johnson, Dean Spurrier, Devin Gaines, Reed Lancaster, Levi Thompson, Kheeilan Murdock, Casey Goldsbury, Landyn Hutto, Donnie Fors, Kellan Detorres, TJ Goldsbury, Archer O’Leary and Liam Gilbert. (Courtsey of Denver Page)
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Future Riders C team wins dramatic championship

The Future Riders C-Squad football team completed an unbeaten… Continue reading

Port Angeles quarterback Blake Sohlberg hands off to running back Dylan Mann on Friday night at Port Angeles Civic Field against Olympic. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP FOOTBALL RECAP: Area teams prepare for playoffs

This is the beginning of football playoffs this week with five local… Continue reading

Millie Long, left, and Kyrsten McGuffey, both of Port Angeles, won Great Northern Athletic Conference players of the week last week in basketball and football. (Kyrsten McGuffey (20) scored four goals last week and leads the GNAC with eight this season (Photos by  Stephanie Burgoon, Alaska-Anchorage and Imogene Eagan, Western Washington).
COLLEGE SPORTS: Port Angeles’ Long, McGuffey GNAC players of the week

Former Port Angeles Roughriders and Peninsula College teammates Kyrsten… Continue reading

Kedryn DeScala, Port Angeles soccer, and Luke O’Hara, East Jefferson football.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Kedryn DeScala, Port Angeles soccer and Luke O’Hara, East Jefferson football

Port Angeles girls’ soccer player Kedryn DeScala did her best this weekend… Continue reading

The Klahhane XCEL Bronze team celebrates its first-place finish at the Harvest Fest Gymnastics meet in Mukilteo this weekend. From left are Kinley Matthews, Penny Goodwin, Sasha Gmazel, Addie Brown, Lucy Monaghan, Aubrie Huisman, Nora Pecoraro, Adrie McGuire and Reagan Haguewood. (Klahhane Gymnastics)
Gymnastics: Klahhane XCEL Bronze team takes first place at Harvest Fest

The Klahhane Gymnastics XCEL Bronze team opened its competition season… Continue reading

Strait Slice Pizza won the Fall Peninsula Soccer League championship. From left, back row, are Rob Walton, Sam Watson, Luke Strong-Cvetich, Kaye Thomas, Allison Mahaney, Ian Miller, Sam Havens, Kyle Henderson, Zach Gray and Sean Rankin. From left, front row, are Kevin McGruther, Allison Snavely, Taryn Asmus, Kelsey Kuhn, Jimmy Quigley, Christine Loewe, Jack Waknitz, Victoria Jones, Mel Messineo, Isaiah Jindrich, Aaron Lee and Jay Marazon. (Courtesy photo)
PENINSULA SOCCER LEAGUE: Strait Slice Pizza wins PSL title

PORT ANGELES ­— Strait Slice Pizza shut out High Energy Metals 3-0… Continue reading

East Jefferson's Luke O'Hara ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns Friday night against Vashon as the Rivals won their season finale 55-0. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP FOOTBALL: Rivals romp over Vashon for season-ending win

Port Angeles drops season finale to league champ Olympic