Notebook | Storm guard joins class of rookies to make cut

PHOENIX — Playing professionally has already cost Kimberly Beck.

The rookie playfully tried to bribe Storm assistant coach Shelly Patterson to help her and second-year guard Katie Gearlds get spots on the team. When final cuts were made May 17, coach Brian Agler told Gearlds she was already a lock and for Beck to get ready to pay up her $10.

Beck, a 5-foot-8 point guard, was the team's third-round draft pick out of George Washington University.

"It's a dream come true," Beck said of making the final roster. "It's what you dream about when you're in seventh grade playing pickup with your friends, talking like, 'I want to be a professional ballplayer.' Now I can actually say that and mean that."

In years past, Beck would have been pegged as one of the first cuts on any WNBA roster. She was selected 36th overall, and not many players have survived after being third-round selections.

But the 2008 draft class has been touted for more than No. 1 overall draft pick Candace Parker. Beck is one of six third-round picks to land on rosters and one of 33 rookies overall to make it past the April draft.

Another of those faces is Phoenix guard Allie Quigley. She was cut by Seattle after being drafted in the second-round and less than 24 hours later, Phoenix called to invite her to its camp.

"I was really upset, but I tried to look at the bright side," Quigley said. She returned home to the Chicago area and then joined the Mercury camp. "Then I was just so excited and ready for the opportunity. I didn't even think about them being the defending champs when they called. They're a great team and great people. It made it an easy transition."

Phoenix first-year coach Corey Gaines said he kept his eye on Quigley since her days at DePaul because she was at the helm of a similar running system.

"She's also a shooter, and you can always use shooters," Gaines said. "She fits our style. I was waiting for her."

Quigley has yet to make her WNBA debut, however.

Notes

• The Storm ended a two-game run of shooting 29 percent in the opening half, shooting 41.0 percent against Phoenix. But Seattle still trailed 52-37 at the break.

• Former Storm assistant Heidi VanDerveer has been tailing the Storm since the start of the season. She parted with the team after the 2007 season to enter college coaching, being named the head coach at Occidental College. But to keep herself "entertained," she's doing scout work for the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty this summer.

• Three-fourths of the Storm's new ownership group attended the game in Phoenix. Former Storm forward Chelle Thompson, who helped the franchise win the 2004 title, also attended. She lives in the Phoenix area.

Thursday night's box

SEATTLE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Jackson	35:34	10-19	8-8	2-9	3	2	30
Cash	29:13	8-15	3-3	2-7	2	5	19
Griffith	25:30	2-6	1-8	4-5	2	3	5
Bird	37:25	5-16	1-2	1-3	6	0	13
Swoopes	17:18	1-4	0-0	1-5	0	1	2
Wright	12:35	2-3	0-0	0-1	2	1	4
Ely	11:44	3-6	0-0	1-2	0	1	6
Gearlds	22:29	3-7	0-0	0-2	2	2	8
Beck	2:04	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0
Santos	1:19	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Robinson	4:49	0-1	0-2	0-0	0	3	0
Totals		34-78	13-23	11-34	17	19	87

Percentages: FG .436, FT .565. Three-point goals: 6-23, .261 (Gearlds 2-3, Jackson 2-5, Bird 2-10, Cash 0-1, Ely 0-1, Wright 0-1, Swoopes 0-2). Team rebounds: 13. Team Turnovers: 8 (9 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (Jackson 2). Turnovers: 7 (Bird 2, Jackson 2, Cash, Ely, Griffith). Steals: 11 (Bird 3, Jackson 3, Ely 2, Griffith 2, Wright). Technical fouls: None.

PHOENIX
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Taurasi	35:52	9-21	3-4	1-3	2	5	23
Willingham	28:26	3-6	2-2	4-8	0	4	8
TSmith	33:17	6-12	0-0	1-8	0	5	14
Miller	33:12	6-9	0-0	2-5	7	0	15
Pondexter	31:29	8-19	3-4	0-4	4	2	21
Farris	11:45	0-0	0-0	0-2	1	2	0
Mazzante	14:33	0-2	0-0	0-5	2	0	0
Crockett	6:32	0-0	1-2	1-3	0	2	1
Oga	4:54	0-0	1-2	0-0	0	0	1
Totals		32-69	10-14	9-38	16	20	83

Percentages: FG .464, FT .714. Three-point goals: 9-23, .391 (Miller 3-4, T.Smith 2-5, Pondexter 2-6, Taurasi 2-6, Mazzante 0-1, Willingham 0-1). Team rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 16 (13 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (Taurasi, Willingham). Turnovers: 16 (Pondexter 6, Miller 3, Taurasi 3, Oga 2, Farris, Willingham). Steals: 5 (Farris 2, Taurasi 2, T.Smith). Technical fouls: None.

Seattle	22	15	25	25 — 87
Phoenix	24	28	16	15 — 83

Attendance: 7,059 (19,023). Time: 2:00. Officials: Roy Gulbeyan, Tony Dawkins, Felicia Grinter.