Golden State Valkyries Survive Late Rally, Top Seattle Storm 76-70
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Valkyries extended their winning streak to three games and earned their fifth win of the season in front of another sold-out crowd at Chase Center, defeating the Seattle Storm 76-70 in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The result brings the expansion franchise to 5-5 and extends their home sellout streak to five games, with 18,064 fans packed into “Ballhalla.”
Golden State started strong, asserting dominance with a 23-5 scoring run bridging the first and second quarters, establishing a 44-31 lead by halftime. Their stellar shooting continued throughout, finishing with a season-high 48.3% from the field and an impressive 89.5% from the free-throw line.
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase lauded her team’s ability to “put a full game together” and “protect the paint,” holding Seattle to 26 points in the paint, well below their average. She said her team “played with so much heart tonight that I’m really proud of them.”
Kayla Thornton led the charge for the Valkyries, notching her third consecutive double-double and fourth of the season with a career-high-tying 22 points and 12 rebounds. Nakase praised Thornton.
“KT is just super reliable, I mean, I think it’s her third double-double in a row. So just again, KT’s confidence that she’s built through her hard work and through the work that she’s done with all of our coaches. Building her confidence and just kind of, I love when people show me that they want to be that person. They just don’t talk it, but KT backs it up with action, and so that’s what I love about KT; and again, when she is solid, consistent, and vocal, we usually come out with a W.”
Rookie Carla Leite made her first start and impressed with 14 points and three assists. Veronica Burton led all players with nine assists, also tallying eight points and four steals.
Despite the Valkyries’ strong performance, the Storm mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback. Trailing 64-50 entering the final frame, Skylar Diggins (21 points) and Alysha Clark (season-high 11 points off the bench) fueled a 12-3 run, cutting the deficit to five points.
Clark expressed her team’s resilience, saying, “I’m disappointed, but I’m proud of the way we didn’t give in… These are early tests for us. On the road, things get difficult, and how are you going to respond? I’m proud of the way we fought back.”
A crucial video review reversed a shot clock violation call in Golden State’s favor late in the game, allowing a Temi Fágbénlé putback that extended their lead and ultimately sealed the win. The Valkyries held their ground. “Just staying focused, staying resilient, staying in the moment,” Fágbénlé said. “The energy is dope. So big shout-out to everyone for coming to the game.”
Storm head coach Noelle Quinn emphasized the need for “consistency and rotations,” adding, “We should have started the game a little bit more aggressive. When we got more aggressive later in the game, we were able to get some deflection and some easier baskets.”
The win elevates Golden State’s Commissioner’s Cup donation to CURYJ to $11,000, matching Seattle’s $11,000 for the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. Both teams are now tied at 3-2 in Commissioner’s Cup qualifying games, behind Minnesota (4-1) in the Western Conference.
Up Next
- Golden State Valkyries: Will take on Dallas on Tuesday, June 17, at 5 p.m. PT in their sixth Commissioner’s Cup game, airing on KPIX, KMAX, and the Audacy App.
- Seattle Storm: Head to Los Angeles for a matchup against the Sparks on Tuesday, June 17, at 7:00 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV, locally on CW Seattle, and available for Prime Video users in Washington state.
