Nneka Ogwumike Dropped 24 on the Storm and Seattle Fans Are Crushed

Okay, 12s, let's just get straight to it. Another one stings. The Seattle Storm fell to the Los Angeles Sparks 88-83 on Wednesday night at Climate Pledge Arena, making it a brutal seven straight losses for our squad. And yeah, it had to be Nneka Ogwumike, our former player, who led the charge against us, pouring in a season-high 24 points. This is getting tough, Seattle, really tough.

The OG Factor and Plum's Pierce

Honestly, watching Nneka Ogwumike light us up for 24 points was like a punch to the gut. She didn't just score, she grabbed nine rebounds, moving her into fourth place on the WNBA career list, passing Rebekkah Brunson. Talk about showing up against your former team! Ogwumike spent the past two seasons right here in Seattle, so you know this one had to feel personal for her. But it wasn't just Nneka. Kelsey Plum was on fire too, dropping 19 points and dishing out 11 assists, essentially sealing our fate with two free throws at the very end. Cameron Brink added 15 points off the bench, and Dearica Hamby hauled in 10 rebounds for the Sparks, who moved to 6-6 with the win. This was a Commissioner’s Cup game, too, which just adds another layer of disappointment to the 9,309 fans who showed up.

Another Heartbreaker, Another Missed Shot

Our Storm fought hard, no doubt about it. All five starters scored in double figures, which shows the effort was there. Natisha Hiedeman led the way with 16 points, Dominique Malonga had 15, Flau’jae Johnson added 14, Awa Fam put up 12, and Jordan Horston chipped in 11. But in crunch time, those bounces just aren't going our way. The Sparks took a 72-70 lead with 8:27 left in the fourth quarter and never gave it back. Then came the gut-wrenching moment. A defensive foul was called on a Horston drive with 28.9 seconds left, giving us a glimmer of hope. But after a coach's review, it was overturned! Los Angeles took possession, up 86-83. Plum missed a long jumper, we got a timeout with 12.1 seconds left, but then Hiedeman’s long 3-pointer hit off the rim. Just cruel, right? Plum then hit those two free throws to seal our fate.

What Now, Seattle?

Another game, another loss. Our Storm now sits at 3-11, and this seven-game skid is brutal. We're fighting, but it's just not translating into wins. Up next, we're hosting the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night. They're 7-5, but they're on a three-game road skid, so maybe, just maybe, this is our chance to turn things around at home. We gotta show up, Emerald City, and give our Storm everything we've got. Let's break this streak!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.