The Golden State Valkyries put together a dominant performance Wednesday night, defeating the Connecticut Sun 89-64.
Golden State controlled the game from the opening quarter, taking a 26-11 lead into the second. The Valkyries then outscored Connecticut 29-16 in the second quarter to take a 55-27 lead into halftime, the second-largest halftime lead in team history and the largest this season. Golden State eventually led by as many as 35 points, 87-52, marking the team’s largest lead of the season.
Janelle Salaün led the Valkyries in scoring with 15 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. She also added three rebounds and one assist.
Kaila Charles finished with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting while grabbing a team-high eight defensive rebounds. Veronica Burton added 12 points and a game-high seven assists, shooting 5-of-9 from the field without committing a turnover. It was Burton’s seventh career game with at least 10 points, seven assists and zero turnovers.
Kaitlyn Chen added 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with two assists, two rebounds and one steal.
Kiah Stokes contributed seven points, six rebounds and three blocks. Ashten Prechtel also recorded three blocks, while Laeticia Amihere added two. Nadia Fingall finished with four points, two rebounds and one assist.
Golden State’s defense once again played a major role in the victory. The Valkyries shot 10-of-25 from three-point range, good for 40 percent, while holding Connecticut to 6-of-31 shooting from beyond the arc, or 19.4 percent.
The Valkyries have now held their opponents to 70 points or fewer in 12 games this season, a league-leading mark. Golden State also finished with 24 assists and 10 blocks as a team.
The team’s depth was on full display as well, with the Valkyries setting a franchise record with 54 bench points.
Head coach Natalie Nakase said the team remains focused on what happens within its own locker room rather than outside noise.
“Outside noise doesn’t really affect us, because we know in our locker room, [those are] the most important conversations. Those are the conversations that matter, within the family. So we really don’t care what people are really saying. It’s more important that we focus on what we control and stay locked in on those details, on emptying the tank, playing all four quarters, and we want to stay consistent with the things that we can control.”
Nakase also spoke about the impact of BallHalla and the support the Valkyries have received on the road.
“That really means something. We’re not just impacting our city and our community, but we’re impacting hopefully the whole world. We’re gaining fans everywhere, and that just warms my heart. It shows that they’re cheering for our character, they’re cheering for our togetherness, they’re cheering for our fight, and that’s what I love. That’s why we continue to lead with love and hopefully give people some type of joy when they watch us.”
Charles said the team continues to focus on the things it can control, with defense remaining at the center of its identity.
“We just pay attention to things that we can control, and that’s playing hard. Defense is our identity, so [we make] sure that we’re doing the things that we can control, and just playing together. I think it’s been showing this season, how much love we have for each other. We have a lot of fun, and it’s showing, and we want to continue. The rankings don’t matter, the playoffs do. So we want to continue to build, make a really deep run, and go for the championship.”
Charles also praised the team’s stay-ready group for taking advantage of its opportunity.
“They work really, really hard, and people don’t see that they’re working every single day. So for them to get that opportunity, I think they made the most of it…They had the right looks, right shots, made the right plays…The fact that they’ve always come in with a positive attitude, they’re always working hard, they always encourage us. They’re just really an essential part of our team, and people may not see that on the stats, but they really are a big part of our team.”
Salaün pointed to the team’s chemistry and selflessness as key factors in what is working for Golden State.
“I think we know each other pretty well, and I think it’s something that that’s our strength. We just know how to play together, and we’re selfless players. I think that’s what working for [us].”
The Valkyries now visit New York to face the Liberty on Thursday, August 27, tipping off at 5:00 p.m. PT on Prime, KPIX, KMAX and the Audacy App.
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