DeWanna Bonner stars as Mercury top Storm to halt skid

Seattle, WA, United States (4E Sports) – The Phoenix Mercury finally put an end to the longest active losing streak in the WNBA with a brilliant game-high 24-point effort from DeWanna Bonner in a 75-68 win over the Seattle Storm Thursday night at Key Arena.

Bonner also grabbed 11 boards for the Mercury, who halted a 10-game slide.

Samantha Prahalis added 16 points and Diana Taurasi chipped in 13 points for the Mercury (5-19), who succumbed twice at Seattle in the said 10-game losing skid, but reversed their fortune by turning in a complete team effort.

Defensively, the Mercury was able to contain the Storm to 68 points on just 34 percent shooting.

Seattle turned the ball 15 times, translating to 16 points for the Mercury, who ended with 12 turnovers.

Camille Little led the way for the Storm (11-14) with 11 points while Tanisha Wright and Tina Thompson added 10 points apiece.

Three-time MVP Lauren Jackson, apparently affected by Mercury’s Krystal Thomas’ defense, finished with just six points on 2-of-8 shooting.

Seattle’s WNBA All-Star guard Sue Bird went 3 of 9 from the field and finished with eight points and eight assists.

Bonner, recipient of the Sixth Woman of the Year award for three consecutive seasons (’09, ’10, ’11), poured in 11 points in the opening half to help Phoenix take a 36-32 advantage at the break.

Seattle, which came in fourth in the Western Conference, six games ahead of the fifth-place Tulsa Shock, bounced back in the third period to tie the game at 54 entering the final quarter.

The Mercury have won for the first time in four games this season against Seattle.

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