Short-Handed Storm Can’t Keep Up With Fever
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Get Storm Headlines!For the short-handed Seattle Storm, survival was the first goal during Saturday's preseason opener against the Indiana Fever. The Storm started with just seven players and was down to only the five on the floor by the end of a 75-58 loss. The lack of depth was evident during the second and third quarters, as Indiana outscored the Storm 45-22 in the middle two periods, holding the Storm to just seven second-quarter points.
Already without three starters and five total players who remain overseas and guard 
Tanisha Wright (pulled groin), the Storm lost 
Wendy Palmer to a strained left quad during the third quarter. When 
Shyra Ely fouled out in the final period, Storm Coach 
Anne Donovan was forced to put out a frontline of three centers (
Janell Burse, 
Tye'sha Fluker and 
Ashley Robinson) the rest of the way.
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Katie Gearlds played more than 38 minutes in her professional debut, all at the point due to Wright's injury. She did an excellent job of taking care of the basketball, committing only two turnovers and handing out four assists, but could not find her shot. Gearlds missed all five of her three-point attempts and shot 2-for-10 from the field.
"I wish it had gone better, but it is what it is," said Gearlds. "The game is no different to me. It's basketball and I've been playing it all my life. You know when you have a bad game, you take what you can from it and hope to get better."
Burse, one of two starters in camp for the Storm, led the team with 11 points. The strongest statement, however, may have come from Ely. Though she turned it over five times, Ely, bidding to make the Storm's final roster, had 10 points and eight rebounds. Palmer, playing for the first time since Achilles surgery ended her 2006 season after five games, also scored 10 points.
Another solid statement was made by Robinson, who had seven boards and scored five points off the bench. Robinson also blocked a pair of shots and handed out three assists in a strong all-around effort.
Indiana, also down three starters but with more players in camp, was led by All-Star Tamika Catchings. Catchings had 18 points and eight boards. Newcomer Ann Strother, starting at shooting guard, scored 15 points - all on three-pointers. Former Storm guard Tully Bevilaqua had eight assists.
