Category: Golden State Valkyrie

Golden State Valkyries game wrap: Purple Reign Near Miss For Valkyries 78-72 in loss to mighty Minnesota

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Golden State Valkyries Temi Fagbenie (14) sinking the layup against the Minnesota Lynx at Chase Center in San Francisco in WNBA action Sat Sep 6, 2025 (photo by Mauricio Segura Golden Bay Times)

Purple Reign Near Miss For Valkyries

By Mauricio Segura

SAN FRANCISCO–The Golden State Valkyries’ fans were riding high, basking in yet another sellout crowd and record-smashing attendance at Chase Center, only to watch their team fall just short in a heated, back and forth battle that ended with a 78-72 loss to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.

Even though the Valkyries entered the final minutes within striking distance, it was the scrappy and relentless Lynx, fueled by a season-high 24 points from Natisha Hiedeman off the bench, that delivered the killer blow. Hiedeman rose when it counted most, scoring nine of her 24 in the decisive third quarter and matching Golden State shot for shot whenever the momentum seemed to tip.

Golden State did not go quietly. Four Valkyries scored in double figures, with Janelle Salaün, Iliana Rupert, and Kaila Charles each finishing with 15 points to share team-high honors. Salaün and Charles also battled on the boards, each pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.

Rupert’s shooting touch mattered, knocking down three from beyond the arc and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Veronica Burton joined them in double figures with 14 points on an efficient 5-for-10 from the field, adding a team-best six assists and one three-pointer that gave her 99 for her career. It was a night that highlighted the balance of the starting unit, which scored 65 of Golden State’s 72 points.

The third quarter proved fatal. Despite Golden State outscoring Minnesota in three of the four quarters, the Lynx dropped a blistering 30-16 edge in the third, shooting 64.7 percent in that frame alone. Hiedeman led the charge with nine points in the period, while Napheesa Collier chipped in a critical 20 points overall.

Jessica Shepard ran the offense beautifully, recording a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists, carving up Golden State’s defense with her vision and passing. The surge turned a halftime Valkyries lead into a deficit they could never fully erase.

For Golden State, there were bright spots. Charles tied her career high with seven made field goals, continuing to thrive by attacking the rim and finishing through contact. Salaün showed her range with three triples, shooting 37.5 percent from deep, while Rupert stretched the floor as well with her own long-range accuracy. Kate Martin gave important minutes off the bench, adding six rebounds that helped keep Minnesota from running away on the glass.

The broader storylines off the court carried equal weight. With 18,064 fans packing the house once again, Golden State closed its inaugural home slate with 22 consecutive sellouts, shattering league records for both average attendance at 18,064 and total fans at 397,408. No WNBA expansion team has ever seized the spotlight this quickly, and the Valkyries have done it with style, energy, and a brand that clearly resonates in the Bay Area.

The Valkyries now sit at 23-19, locked into the sixth seed in the playoff bracket with two games remaining. While the fifth seed is out of reach, the team has already made history by becoming the first expansion team to clinch a playoff berth in its debut season.

The only wrinkle is logistical: Chase Center will be unavailable due to the Laver Cup tennis tournament, forcing Golden State to stage its first-round home games at San Jose’s SAP Center, with Oakland Arena also was floated as a backup option.

So yes, the Valkyries lost this one, undone by a single quarter of hot shooting from the Lynx. But the big picture remains unchanged. They are rewriting WNBA history, proving they belong among the league’s elite, and building momentum that will carry into the postseason. Two more games to sharpen the edges, then a playoff run that will mark the next chapter in an already unforgettable first year.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Playoffs? The Valkyries Say Yes With A Fifth Straight Win, 84-80 Over The Wings

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Golden State Valkyrie center Kaitlyn Chen ( (with the ball) looking for some daylight as Chen is surrounded by Dallas Wings players at Chase Center on Thu Sep 4, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Coach Natalie Nakase said year one of the WNBA Valkyries would be about the process over wins and losses.

But the process kicked in, and the wins soon came more frequently than the losses. And Nakase’s team accomplished this despite the frequent personnel changes and a couple of disheartening, fourth quarter collapses.

A lot of other things were in play as well. The coaching staff developed a reputation for preparedness and getting their team to buy in. Veronica Burton became a star with versatility and availability for every game. The home crowd filled the Chase Center with noise and enthusiasm every game.

And Nakase was resolute that her team constructed with veterans as opposed to more recognizable college players could and would win now, not a year or two down the road.

“I told the girls, we intentionally picked you guys for this reason: to do things for the first (time),” Nakase said.

The result? The Valkyries became the first expansion team to qualify for the WNBA playoffs with an 84-80, comeback win over the Dallas Wings on Thursday night.

Janelle Salaun led a group of five players scoring in double figures with 19 points and the Valkyries overcame a 13-point, third quarter deficit to win their fifth straight game, and eliminate the Sparks from playoff contention.

The Wings lost for the ninth consecutive game but gave their best effort in weeks by starting fast offensively and limiting mistakes. But the Valkyries stuck to the now familiar process of winning down the stretch with defense and making big shots.

“We were mostly locked in on the defensive end but the Valkyries hit some tough shots and made some plays down the stretch but we felt like we were in the game the entire time,” said Paige Bueckers, who led all scorers with 27 points.

Wings coach Chris Koclanes had obviously seen the Valkyries’ too many times on tape and three, previous meetings, and explained how things got away from his team in the fourth quarter.

“That’s their identity. Right?” Koclanes said. “They’re going to guard and they’re going to get up a ton of threes. So I know they only shoot 40 percent (overall) but they shoot so many threes so effectively when they have good nights it’s a little bit higher than that. But they’re gritty and they’re tough, they’re never out of the game. They just have that fight and when you have this fan base behind you, you get that extra energy.”

Burton came up with the critical basket with 22 seconds remaining on a drive that drew a foul and increased the Valkyries’ two-point lead to 79-74. Five free throws followed with only one miss and the celebration began… briefly.

“I really don’t allow them to celebrate,” Nakase said. “They can enjoy this, but I also keep them humble. I’m a party pooper. Yes, I am.”

PLAYOFFS IN SAN JOSE: The Valkyries announced that their September 17th playoff home game will be played at the SAP Center in San Jose. The team has a scheduling conflict at the Chase Center on that date necessitating the change.

Golden State Valkyries become first WNBA inaugural team to make post season defeat Dallas 84-80

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Golden State Valkyrie center Kaitlyn Chen ( (with the ball) looking for some daylight as Chen is surrounded by Dallas Wings players at Chase Center on Thu Sep 4, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

The Golden State Valkyries (23-18) made WNBA history with their win over the visiting Dallas Wings at Chase Center becoming the first expansion team to make the post season in their inaugural season in a 84-80 win over the Wings at Chase Center on Thursday night.

The Valkyries first season also set another WNBA record for the most wins by expansion team with the most wins at 23 and selling out all of their first 21 home game and counting thus far. The Valkyries had averaged their attendance at 18,064 per game which marks them the highest in the WNBA.

Valkyrie head coach Natalie Nakase also wo the Coach of the Month award in June and forward Kayla Thornton won Western Conference Player of Week. Thornton also represented the Valkyrie at the WNBA All Star game for this year.

The Valkyrie who clinched for a playoff spot will play their first round playoff games at SAP Center in San Jose due to a Chase Center in San Francisco scheduling conflict at Chase Center on either September 16 or 17th. The first game of the playoffs will be on the road on September 14th.

The Laver Cup tennis tournament which was scheduled well before the Valkyries playoffs had been previously played at Berlin, Vancouver, London and Boston. The WNBA tried to get the second playoff game for Sunday. It just so happen the Lavar was scheduled to play the first game of the playoffs. Lavar had first choice and stayed with Chase Center.

Valkyries defense locks down Liberty, Temi Fagbenle and Kate Martin lead the way on offense in dominant 66-58 win over the New York Liberty

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Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle (13) celebrates her basket against the New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Sep 2, 2025 (Bay Area News Group photo)

By Lincoln Juarez

SAN FRANCISCO – A second quarter run fuels the Valkyries fourth-straight win and inches them closer to securing a playoff spot in their first season.

On Tuesday night, the Golden State Valkyries hosted the New York Liberty in front of a roaring Chase Center crowd. Sitting 2.5 games back of the Liberty for fifth place in the WNBA standings, this was a big game for the Valkyries to gain some ground in the standings and prove they can match up against the powerful teams in the league. 

In their last meeting, the Liberty came into Ballhalla snuck out a win in a close three-point game, 81-78. 

In the two meetings prior to that in late May, New York overpowered the Valkyries in back to back games in the big apple by scores of 95-67 and 82-77. Tuesday night was a different story as the Valkyries stormed their way to a decisive victory. 

After a slow start, the Golden State offense started to land some shots. Just over four and a half minutes in, Janelle Salaün gave the Valkyries their first lead since the opening bucket. 

The two teams went back and forth trading baskets through the remainder of the first quarter. The Liberty led 18-14 after the first. 

It was all Valkyries in the second, out-scoring New York 26-8 in the quarter. 

Kate Martin led the Valkyries in points at the half with 11 going 3-6 from behind the arch. Sue played a huge role in the big second quarter run that blew the game open. 

Postgame Martin praised the defense, acknowledging the great all around game they played on that side of the floor that allowed the offense to take over the game. 

Head coach Natalie Nakase also credited the defense from Tuesday night, pointing to the communication as the main reason for success. “I think our communication has been elite the last 3 games”, said coach Nakase also noting that Golden State knew “we couldn’t make any mistakes on the defensive end”. 

On the offensive side, four Valkyries tallied double-digit points (Salaün, Fagbenle, Charles, and Martin). The scoring came from up and down the lineup and Golden State put their teamwork and camaraderie on display in their 66-58 win, defeating the Liberty for the first time ever after going 0-3 in their first three games against them. 

The Valkyries look on to Thursday when they host the Dallas Wings with a potential opportunity to clinch a playoff berth. It would be quite the scene if they were able to do it at home in front of their raucous fans at Chase Center.  

At this point it seems like it’s not a matter of if, but when the Valkyries will clinch that playoff spot and become the first team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in their first season. 

Wings vs. Valkyries, Thursday night at Ballhalla. Tip-off at 7:00pm. 

Playoff Intensity: Valkyries Outlast The Fever 75-63 In A Defensive Struggle

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Remember when the Valkyries seemed like they were biting off more than they could chew shooting 3-pointers? Well, if you do, then you probably remember when the Valkyries resembled a first-year expansion team as well.

It’s been a while.

These days, the violet-and-black look like a well-oiled machine in regards to how they play, and win games. Simply, their defense is that good: it allows a squad that’s suffered numerous personnel changes, and misses more shots than they make to be a consistent threat to their more established opponents. The Fever, on Sunday night again without Caitlin Clark, know better than anyone.

The Valkyries started hot, making nine of their first 10 threes, and building a lead that briefly hit 20 points in the second quarter. From there, Indy’s defense and competitiveness showed, but not enough to keep the hosts from holding on for a 75-63 win at Chase Center.

The win gave the Valkyries a 3-0 sweep of the Fever, and more importantly, a half-game lead in the playoff hierarchy that has Golden State currently in seventh place.

Afterwards, coach Stephanie White was left to explain the hosts hot start that came after a 10-minute break three minutes into the game due to several equipment malfunctions inside the arena. The hosts caught fire after the unexpected pause in a stretch that essentially decided the game.

“They’re really good at spacing the floor,” White said. “Their passes are on time and on target, so you can’t make a lot of defensive mistakes. And I felt like we overhelped. We were trying to not allow catch-and-shoot threes. We didn’t want to overhelp on drivers. We overhelped. We over-rotated. The timing on the rotation wasn’t very good, and we gave them wide-open catch-and-shoot threes, and they are a really good team when they can get that.”

White’s description mirrored the league stats that show that the Valkyries lead the WNBA with just under 10 made threes a game. But they don’t shoot a high percentage from three, and they’re dead last in overall shooting percentage.

But… Iliana Rupert is the WNBA’s most consistent 3-point shooter at better than 46 percent. Cecilia Zandalasini, who was again unavailable due to injury, is fourth at better than 44 percent. Leaving those two open is a mistake, and an open door for the Valkyries to go on an extended scoring run.

Against the Fever, Rupert started 4 for 4 and finished 5 for 8 from distance. After Rupert’s third make, the Valkyries led 22-9. Meanwhile, the visitors, again without Clark, were in a stretch of 15 missed threes in 18 attempts that proved how shrewd Golden State’s strategy of packing the paint was.

The Fever got within six points in far more competitive second half, but couldn’t get any closer. Kate Martin came up with a critical three after the Valkyries went scoreless for almost all of the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. A flagrant foul on Aerial Powers for not allowing Martin landing space gave Martin a free throw as well and the lead grew to 59-50.

Rupert led Golden State with 21 points. Janelle Salaun and Martin both added 10. Powers led Indiana with 17 points off the bench, but was 1 for 5 from distance.

The Valkyries final home stand continues on Tuesday against the New York Liberty.

Demystified: Valkyries Complete Season Sweep Of The Mystics With 99-62 Blowout

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–An extended break from game action was just what the Valkyries needed. Coach Natalie Nakase felt her team’s defense had slipped a notch, and she used the additional practice time to address that issue.

The message was delivered so acutely, the team produced its best defensive first half of the season on the path to a 99-62 blowout of the visiting Mystics at Chase Center on Saturday night.

Could the expansion Valkyries have come up with a better start to their week-long push at home that will undoubtedly decide their playoff fate? Probably not.

The season-low 22 points allowed to Washington in the first half fueled a 29-point lead at the break, and ultimately kept all 10 healthy players comfortably under 30 minutes of playing time for the game. With five games in eight days to conclude their home schedule, wear and tear matters greatly. Especially with Cecilia Zandalasini and Tiffany Hayes currently unavailable due to injury.

Without those two, Nakase had her available group pack the paint defensively and rush the passing lanes. That plan was followed succinctly as the Mystics were limited to 35 percent shooting  for the game while the hosts racked up nine steals, four by Leticia Amihere in the first half alone.

That allowed the Valkyries to coast, leading by 35 after three quarters along with a slew of 37 point leads in the fourth.

“Maybe we can improve our reading (of the defense) but tonight was a perfect execution of our gameplan,” Janelle Salaun said of the team’s 40-minute defensive effort.

Balanced scoring seems preordained at this point for the selfless Valkyries, and they did it again on Saturday with Salaun leading with 20 points Carla Leite adding 19, Kaila Charles with 16 and Veronica Burton 15. The team’s assist total of 21 lead to 23 made field goals.

The Valkyries remained in the eighth and final slot for the playoffs with the win, but increased their lead over the ninth place Sparks to 2 1/2 games. They completed the four-game season sweep of the Mystics with the win as well.

The Valkyries have an opportunity to sweep the Fever on Sunday and leap ahead of Indiana in the standings. Home games against the Liberty, Wings and Lynx follow Sunday’s showdown before the Valkyries finish the regular season with two road games.

It Was Just A Dream: Valkyries’ Solid First Quarter Devolves Into Streak Ending 79-63 Loss To Atlanta

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Like fog making a dramatic entrance from the Pacific Ocean, defense descended on the Chase Center Sunday night and almost didn’t leave.

The Atlanta Dream starting five got the first taste of the weather in the first quarter in which they were limited to one made basket from Brionna Jones.

The Valkyries found out how sparse made baskets would be in a 10-point second quarter that saw the Dream’s defense take hold.

Throughout the gritty defense included scary collisions that saw the hosts lose Iliana Rupert to concussion protocol for the remainder of the game and Veronica Burton for a critical stretch at the end of the third quarter.

From the Valkyries’ perspective, what was beautiful turned ugly quickly and decisively in a 79-63 loss that ended their four-game win streak.

The Dream simply started slow and finished fast by eventually finding the gaps in the Valkyries’ defense on their way to 38 points in the paint.

“In the first half our spacing wasn’t very good,” said Naz Hillmon, who finished with 12 points and five rebounds. “We know that the Valkyries are a team that really wants to make sure they pack the paint and help each other rotate. I think in the second half we made the right plays. First by spacing out, getting good hits on our ball screens and going from there.”

The game was a defensive struggle at the break with the scored tied at 25. But Burton’s absence signaled the breaking point as a 30-8 run spanning the third and fourth quarters swung the game to the visitors.

“They beat us in all the hustle categories and that just can’t happen,” coach Natalie Nakase said. “You can’t win a game if you’re getting out hustled.”

“Credit to Atlanta. They just did a hell of a job on both ends of the floor.”

The Valkyries fell to 18-16 with ten regular season games remaining. Their cushion over ninth place Los Angeles is two games, but this was the beginning of a closing stretch that will see Golden State play a number of teams with winning records. They’ll need some wins against those teams to maintain a playoff spot.

Violet, Cecilia and the rest of the Valkyries On Point In Big 74-57 Win Over The Connecticut Sun

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Violet the Raven, just like some other Valkyries, hasn’t been around for the entire inaugural season, but on Monday, the team’s mascot hit the floor running in her debut.

The feathery Violet hit a sequence of dance moves, looking the part as the lead in a tightly choreographed dance troupe. She also missed a couple of point blank shots against minimal defense. The verdict would have to be she’s not a finished product, but loaded with potential.

Sound like a true Valkyrie? Yes.

The team itself used Monday night to show their quest to reach their potential continues in earnest with a convincing 74-57 win that displayed their defense has arrived ahead of schedule. The visiting Sun were held to 34 percent shooting and turned the ball over 14 times. For the second game in a row, the Valkyries’ opponent was held to fewer than 60 points allowing the hosts to move above .500 in the league standings (16-15) for the first time in a month.

Cecila Zandalasini nearly posted a new personal best in scoring with 17 points while helping key a defensive effort that flustered the undermanned Sun. The hosts’ lead hit 20 points a couple of times in the fourth quarter as the Sun continued to faltering from three where they converted just 20 percent of their 25 attempts.

“It’s the minimum we have to do every game, and it’s given us some rhythm in each of the last two games,” Zandalasini said.

The reserved Zandalasini made three of the Valkyries’ 13 made threes, one which prompted her seemingly understated three-finger celebration. But that move drew a technical foul that shocked coach Natalie Nakase.

“She didn’t do anything… I don’t understand why someone would give this a technical foul,” Nakase said on a night that a referee’s bizarre reaction was rendered to a moment of humor.

Tiffany Hayes also scored 17 points for the Valkyries, and Janelle Salaun had 16. The team’s 41 percent shooting wasn’t anything to trumpet but their 39 percent shooting from three was, as they continue to successfully leverage their uptempo attack into a number of uncontested looks from distance.

The Valkyries have road games Mystics and Sky up next, two opportunities to improve their stature in the playoff picture against two struggling teams.

Valkyries Apply The D: Sparks Stopped Cold in 72-59 Loss

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The streaking Sparks arrived at Ballhalla having scored at least 100 points in each of five wins over their last six games. All that offense came to a halt Saturday night with an  uncurteous assist from the Valkyries.

The hosts clamped down, holding Los Angeles to 32 percent shooting in a 72-59 win that was critical for playoff positioning. The Valkyries clinched the season series between the clubs with a third win in four meetings, and created a one game cushion in the fight for the eighth and last playoff seed.

The visitors were essentially limited to a credible offensive showing in the second quarter then through two surges in the third quarter. That brought the Sparks to within 43-40 with 4:52 remaining in the quarter but they would get no closer the remainder of the game. The Valkyries closed beautifully, surviving a scoreless finish over the final 3:41 without relinquishing their double-digit lead.

Veronica Burton was a two-way menace with a team-best 16 points along with suffocating defense on Kelsey Plum, who was limited to 4 points and one made basket. In the season-opener, Plum exploded for 37 points, but this time was left visibly flustered.

“We were really connected defensively,” Burton said. “The communication was at an all-time high, we were in our shifts. Obviously I was guarding her a lot but I never felt like I was on an island.”

“Just Vee understanding the game plan, asking questions at shootaround… We understand the talent of Kelsey Plum, scorer on all three levels. Credit to Vee, and credit for her teammates having her back,” coach Natalie Nakase said.

The Valkyries scoring was characteristically balanced Cecila Zandalasini contributing 14 points, all in the first half, and Janelle Salaun adding 11. Twelve made threes were most damaging to the Sparks with Zandalasini leading the way with four of those. Also, the Sparks were plagued by turnovers early with eight of their total of 12 coming in the game’s first 15 minutes.

Dearica Hamby led Los Angeles with 15 points, and Julie Allemand and Rae Burrell scored 10.

Julie Vanloo was greeted with a warm welcome in her return to Chase Center after her controversial release following her return from the Eurobasket tournament. Vanloo had two points and four rebounds in 13 minutes for the Sparks.

Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha were present in support of family friend Cameron Brink. Brink had five points and two rebounds off the bench.

The Valkyries conclude their home stretch on Monday at 7:00pm against the Connecticut Sun.

Valkyries Fall In Return Home To Focused Aces, 78-72

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–If the Valkyries’ unprecedented path to the WNBA playoffs involves beating the teams at and below their level in the standings, the Las Vegas Aces made it clear that they’re not in that group.

A’ja Wilson’s efficient 27 points and 7 rebounds led the Aces to a 78-72 win at Chase Center on Wednesday night that was easily the visitors’ most focused effort against the expansion Valkyries in their now completed four-game set.

Physical play throughout limited scoring, and proliferated the referee whistles, but didn’t deter the Aces’ gritty defensive effort that limited the Valkyries to 39 percent shooting from the floor.

“We needed to fight for 40 minutes, not 20 or 25,” Janelle Salaun said afterwards on the KPIX-TV post-game show.

The Valkyries fell below .500 to 14-15, but remained in the top eight of the standings, a half game ahead of the Sparks and a full game in front of the Mystics. The top eight qualify for the playoffs, and the Valkyries still have critical home games against the Sparks and Mystics.

Both teams wasted their opportunities at the 3-point line, shooting just 18 percent but made up for it with near flawless free throw shooting. Wilson navigated both areas by shooting 11 for 11 at the stripe and not attempting a three, while making 8 of 11 from two. The former MVP and two-time champion also had two steals and two blocks. When pressured, she drove. When afforded space, Wilson cooked the Valkyries from the free throw line extended.

Tiffany Hayes led the hosts with 14, Salaun added 13, and Carla Leite and Kaila Charles had 11 each.

The Valkyries next host the Sparks on Saturday evening.