Originally published Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 12:00 AM

Storm tries to bounce back from blowout loss in L.A.

Seattle's secret to success on the road is taking its home routine wherever it plays. The road-weary Storm hopes to do that Wednesday night in Phoenix.

By Jayda Evans

Seattle Times staff reporter

Tonight

Storm @ Phoenix, 7 p.m.

Play as many road games as the Storm has to open the season, and you learn quickly what your team's secret is to winning. For Seattle, it has been routine.

And the keeper of the Storm's rituals? Forward Swin Cash.

She'll usher fans out of her teammates' way during pregame warm-ups. And, if she doesn't spot what she needs, she'll dig in the trainer's bag herself and give it to teammates.

"It was important for us to be really focused," Cash said after a 93-84 WNBA victory in Phoenix last month. "I just wanted to make sure the game was just right for us, and I don't like things to change that much. Just get into a routine and get it done."

When the most road-traveled team so far in the WNBA approaches its road routine like another home game, as it did at US Airways Arena on June 21, the team builds double-digit leads early that it's able to sustain. When it's not the aggressor, like in Chicago or most recently in Los Angeles, it loses.

On Sunday against the Sparks, it was a deflating 27-point defeat that got so far out of hand Storm coach Brian Agler rested his stars.

"We've got players that play year-round," Agler said in defense of playing his reserves in L.A. "If you wear them down too early in the season, you may not have enough in the end. So you try to get a balance."

Still several games from the midway point, the Storm (6-3) has already completed half of the four-game series against four of the five Western Conference opponents. Seattle has a half-game lead on Phoenix (6-4) for the conference lead.

"We've got to control the game," Agler said. "I know we'll bounce back from Sunday. I told the team after the first L.A. game [a win in Seattle], that L.A. has got my attention. We know we're in a playoff race. We're just trying to focus on getting better and play in the postseason."

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com

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