Sami Whitcomb's Mercury puts heat on Ezi's Storm

• Sami Whitcomb scored six points on a pair of threes in 19 minutes
• Ezi Magbegor struggled making just one shot in nine attempts, finishing with two points
• Whitcomb was playing against her former team Seattle Storm for the first time

WNBL25 MVP Sami Whitcomb reminded the Seattle of her value, delivering +13 in an efficient 19 minutes for the Phoenix against Australian Opals centre and former Storm teammate Ezi Magbegor as the Mercury buried the road team 81-59 in Phoenix on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

The Mercury's other two offseason acquisitions Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas combined for 47 points in dominant display.

Magbegor had a tough ball game. She went 1-from-9 from the field in 22 minutes for just two points while Whitcomb playing her first game for Phoenix had six points on 2-from-4 from the field, both makes from three, three rebounds and two assists.

Key Details

• Result: Phoenix Mercury 81 def. Seattle Storm 59
• When: May 18, 2025
• Where: Phoenix, Arizona
• Standings: Phoenix (#1) | Seattle (#10)

By the Numbers

• Satou Sabally (Phoenix) starred with 27 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks in 26 minutes.
• Skylar Diggins (Seattle) scored 21 points, had three rebounds, four assists, four steals, and one block in 29 minutes.

What Happened

Phoenix established control from the opening tip, building a 23-15 lead in the first quarter behind strong performances from their offseason acquisitions. The Mercury continued to apply pressure in the second quarter, outscoring the Storm 18-15 to take a comfortable 41-30 lead into halftime. Sabally was particularly effective, scoring 17 of her 27 points before the break.

The Mercury's dominance continued after halftime as they extended their advantage to 60-46 heading into the final quarter. A key sequence came with 4:29 remaining when Monique Akoa Makani scored her first WNBA points on a layup, followed immediately by another bucket from Kalani Brown that pushed the lead to 20 points at 73-53. This sparked a decisive 12-1 run that put the game completely out of reach.

Alyssa Thomas delivered an impressive Mercury debut with 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists while shooting an efficient 8-from-13 from the field. Sabally was equally impressive, converting 9-of-17 field goal attempts including 3-of-9 from three-point range. Their combined 47 points highlighted Phoenix's revamped roster, which featured eight players making their Mercury debuts.

The Storm struggled offensively throughout the contest, shooting just 33.3% from the field (21-from-63). While Diggins put together a solid all-around game with 21 points and four steals, and Nneka Ogwumike added 12 points and seven rebounds, the rest of Seattle's roster shot a dismal 23% (9-from-39). The Storm's offensive woes were particularly evident from beyond the arc, where they connected on just three of their 17 attempts.

Phoenix's superior efficiency was the story of the game, as they shot an outstanding 51.7% from the field (30-from-58) compared to Seattle's 33.3%. The Mercury also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Storm 38-29, while matching Seattle's defensive intensity with five blocks and eight steals.