Given their historically poor 8-32 record and last-place position in the WNBA standings, no one would blame the Storm for lacking enthusiasm about returning to a season that’s gone terribly awry.

And yet, Dominique Malonga and Awa Fam, who played in the biggest games of their young careers Sunday at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, are anxious to finish the season with the Storm on their terms.

“Personally, I just want to keep doing what I’ve been doing so far in the season, which is showing great attitude and playing hard for my team,” Malonga said. “I can’t change what’s happened (this season) and all we can do now is continue to learn from those games.

“At this point, we want to finish the best way possible. I feel like we can use these games to prepare for next season and get everybody involved. Really extend the bench in minutes because I feel like this is the proper time to do it, especially with myself, Awa and Jade (Melbourne) coming back from the World Cup. I feel like our bodies are kind of beat up.”

Admittedly, Fam is still recovering from the emotionally draining and physically demanding two-week tournament in Berlin as well as the transatlantic flight back to Seattle.

“It’s a 10-hour (time change), so it’s super difficult,” she said. “I got here Monday afternoon. I was a little jet lagged that day, but right now I’m feeling pretty good.

“I’m just a little bit tired because it was a lot of games. It was an intense World Cup, but I’m preparing my body and mind to be here. … We want to finish the right way, and that’s playing hard until the very end.”

For many Storm fans, this season can’t end soon enough.

Aside from the development of Malonga, Fam and rookie guard Flau’jae Johnson, there’s been few highlights from a Seattle team with the WNBA’s youngest starting lineup.

In their most recent outing, the Storm lost 90-74 against the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 30 before the WNBA paused for the World Cup.

During the break, Malonga averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 52% on field goals for France, which dominated during the tournament before a humbling 97-79 loss to USA and finishing with a silver medal.

“There was a lot of disappointment at the end of that game because we knew that we could go all the way, but we have to look back and be proud of what we did,” said Malonga, who scored a team-high 21 points in Sunday’s championship game. “My performance, was more like a half performance because most of it was at the end of the game.

“I would have loved to wake up earlier and do something earlier. So yeah, I’m not really happy about that performance.”

Maybe so, but coach Sonia Raman was ecstatic to sit in the stands and watch Malonga and Fam, who averaged 10.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists while leading Spain to a bronze medal.

“It was really amazing for me to be able to see them in their element, being able to play for their countries,” Raman said. “I thought all of them impacted winning in so many different ways. Just really proud of seeing them do that. Some of them, their roles are a little different with their national team. Some of them, their roles are very much the same. But seeing them switch gears, knowing exactly what their team needs from them, and being able to produce. It was great hearing their fans cheering for them.”

Conversely, it was a disappointing World Cup outing for Storm forward/center Ezi Magbegor, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury, and guard Jade Melbourne, who was sidelined due to flu-like illness. Without the Australian standouts, the Opals lost 89-66 in the quarterfinals to Spain.

Melbourne is questionable for Thursday’s 7 p.m. matchup against the Las Vegas Aces (27-13) at Climate Pledge Arena.

The short-handed Storm are also without wing Katie Lou Samuelson, who is out for the season after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on her left knee, and wing Jordan Horston (right shoulder) is questionable.

“It’s going to be a physical game,” Malonga said. “I’m going to have to go get the little energy that I have. Coming back and playing the Aces is tough, but we like this kind of matchup, of course. I’m never going to shy away from that.”

The Storm lost 101-91 against Las Vegas on June 8 and Fam is looking forward to a rematch against her childhood idol and Aces star A’ja Wilson.

“I want to capitalize on these days that we have left,” Fam said. “We just need to try to do our best. If we can win these four games, we need to do it. But more than anything, we need bring our 100%. If you bring your 100% and you don’t win, it’s fine.

“The chemistry that we have is really amazing. We really like playing with each other and that last day is going to be sad for sure, but before then we have four games to enjoy and get better.”