DHJ Quick Take: Wings Turn Attention to Seattle in Commissioner’s Cup Opener
- Fernandez On Defensive Keys: Jose Fernandez said the priority against Seattle is guarding one-on-one and keeping the ball in front, with help behind it, against a team that leans on half-court offense.
- Ogunbowale On Dictating Tempo: Arike Ogunbowale said the Wings no longer surprise anyone and want to impose their pace on the slower Storm rather than be pulled into a half-court game.
- James On Defensive Growth: Aziaha James tied the team’s recent defensive improvement to transition effort and communication, and said being named by Aces coach Becky Hammon as one of the Wings’ most-improved players reflected her offseason work.
- Kuier Out, Clark Probable: Awak Kuier (right wrist) has been ruled out for Monday’s Commissioner’s Cup opener against Seattle, while Alysha Clark (left arm) is probable.
DALLAS — The Dallas Wings held the second of two practice days Sunday before Monday’s home game with the Seattle Storm, with a shootaround to come on game day. Arike Ogunbowale, Aziaha James, and head coach Jose Fernandez met with the media. Awak Kuier (right wrist) and Alysha Clark (left arm) did not practice and remain under evaluation. Kuier was ruled out, while Clark was listed as probable.
Dallas (5-3) is fourth in the standings and has won two straight, beating Las Vegas 95-87 on Thursday after a 91-76 win at New York on Sunday. The game opens Commissioner’s Cup play.
Fernandez framed the matchup around perimeter defense against a Seattle team that leans on half-court offense rather than pace.
“We need to be able to continue to keep the ball in front of us and guard one-on-one, and making sure when we do get beat off the bounce, we’re a help concept,” he said.
He said the Wings also need to play faster even while scoring efficiently, and that their 3-point shooting, which now leads the league after finishing last a year ago, opens up the rest of the offense.
Ogunbowale said the goal is to impose Dallas’s tempo rather than get pulled into the Storm’s pace.
“We don’t want their pace to change our pace. We want to keep playing fast,” Ogunbowale said. “If they want to slow it down, we get up in them, maybe make them play faster than what they want to do.”
She said the Wings no longer surprise anyone and have to meet the effort they now draw, but that the approach stays the same regardless of the standings. She pointed to second-side actions as the team’s next offensive step and credited Jessica Shepard with grabbing a rebound and immediately initiating the offense.
James said Seattle’s shooting at every position puts the focus on the perimeter.
“They got shooters all around, from top to bottom, from post to guard,” James said. “So just trying to do those little details and make sure we guard the arc.”
The Wings host the Storm on Monday at College Park Center with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT.
Full interviews below.
Arike Ogunbowale
Aziaha James
Jose Fernandez
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