Valkyries Rally Late but Fall to Sparks in Preseason Debut, 83–82
SAN FRANCISCO — Laeticia Amihere scored a game-high 20 points in a breakout performance, but the Golden State Valkyries came up just short in their franchise debut, falling 83-82 to the Los Angeles Sparks in a preseason thriller Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Before a near-capacity crowd of 17,428, the Valkyries rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to tie the game late, but couldn’t convert on their final possession.
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase praised the crowd: “Not only did they show up, they were loud. It felt like a playoff game.”
Sparks Strike First, Control the Glass
Kelsey Plum opened the scoring with a layup and an assist to Dearica Hamby as the Sparks took a quick 4-0 lead. Rickea Jackson added a pair of threes and finished with 13 points. The Sparks dominated the offensive glass early, grabbing six offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone, including three by Emma Cannon. Golden State trailed 16-13 after one.
Stevens, Jackson Push L.A. to Halftime Advantage
Los Angeles extended its lead with a 23-12 second quarter, shooting 55.6% from the field and committing just two turnovers. Jackson led all scorers with 12 first-half points on 5-for-8 shooting. Azurá Stevens pulled down 10 rebounds, including seven in the second quarter. The Valkyries struggled to protect the ball, committing 11 first-half turnovers, and trailed 39-25 at the break.
Amihere Ignites the Comeback
The Valkyries stormed back with an 11-0 run capped by free throws from Kate Martin to tie the game at 57. Amihere added a three-pointer in the final minute of the quarter, matching a triple by Odyssey Sims. Amihere, who had just three points at halftime, ignited the crowd with her athleticism and poise. Golden State outscored the Sparks 32-18 in the third to close the gap to 57-56.
McDonald Delivers Late as Sparks Escape
Aari McDonald scored 10 of her 12 points in the fourth, helping the Sparks withstand the Valkyries’ late push. Liatu King hit a clutch three-pointer with under four minutes to play, and Sims added a late steal and layup. The Valkyries had a final possession down one, but the shot didn’t fall.
What They Said
“I know we lost or whatever, but it almost felt like we won,” said Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase. “When [Amihere] shot it, she just held it up there. She had this stare on her face, and it’s completely different from day one. I was very proud of her.”
Amihere, who arrived early to training camp, earned her coach’s trust. “She’s almost like a big guard. It’s going to be very challenging for other teams to guard her,” Nakase said.
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts, also making her WNBA debut, called the night “electric” and praised the turnout: “It was fun to be a part of that.”
Top Performers
Amihere led all scorers with 20 points (7-for-11 FG), while Monique Billings and Kayla Thornton each added nine for the Valkyries. Veronica Burton had six points and four assists. Kyara Linskens pulled down eight rebounds, seven of which came on the defensive end.
The Sparks had four players in double figures: Jackson (13), McDonald (12), Sims (11), and Plum (11). Stevens nearly had a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, and Hamby dished out a team-high six assists.
Up Next
The two teams will meet again in the season opener on Friday. May 16, a nationally televised matchup on ION.
