New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu is defended by Golden State Valkyrie’s Veronica Burton during the second quarter of a WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/ San Francisco Chronicle)
By: Michael Villanueva
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.- The opening quarter of the Golden State Valkyries vs. New York Liberty game was hard-fought, with Breanna Stewart and Tiffany Hayes putting up the most impressive performances. With 12 points on 5 of 9 field goals, including 1 of 2 from beyond the arc, Stewart developed as an aggressive player for New York. Although she didn’t have much help from her teammates in the first stretch, her early rhythm kept the Liberty offensively going. Yet Kennedy Burke, who came off the bench, provided New York with much-needed energy by scoring 8 points on a flawless 3-for-3 shooting effort, including 2 of 2 from deep range
On the other hand, Hayes went 3-of-6 from the field and made 2-of-4 from beyond the arc to match Stewart’s effort with 12 of her own. Her choice of shots and ability to create space during transitions provided the Valkyries with a much-needed attacking lift. Hayes taking it to the rack is how the team’s effort got going.
However, Hayes wasn’t the only one who had an effect. The defensive tone was set by her and Kayla Thornton, who put constant pressure that made New York appear tough and stopped their rhythm. The Liberty shot just 11 of 23 overall and a poor 4-of-13 from three-point range in the first quarter, as they struggled to keep up with Golden State’s tenacity and pace early in the game.
Even as Breanna Stewart started to establish her dominance, the Valkyries relied on their aggressive defense to break Liberty’s rhythm in the second quarter. Despite their difficulties from beyond the arc, Stewart kept New York within striking distance by scoring nine more points in the quarter, increasing her first-half total to 21 on 8 of 14 shooting.
Golden State responded with tough defense and well-balanced team play. Backcourt pressure from Kayla Thornton and Tiffany Hayes continued to push the Liberty into hurried shots and disrupted plays. Despite only shooting 15 of 37 from the field in the first half, the Valkyries made up for it with hustling plays and hard work on the glass, grabbing 19 rebounds and grabbing crucial second-chance shots.
However, by halftime, the Liberty were only 5 of 18 from three-point range and 18 of 46 from the field. Their interior presence kept them in the game, as they scored 26 of their first-half points in the paint despite their poor outside shooting. Even though their perimeter threats struggled to convert, they were able to effectively crash the lane due to their size and length across the lineup.
The Valkyries had a certain change of mind when they left halftime: defensive energy. In order to add more hustle and intensity to the perimeter, head coach Natalie Nakase started guard Kate Martin, and it paid off right away. With players continuously switching positions, getting hands in passing lanes, and running back in transition, Golden State’s defense was notably more active. Four steals during the quarter were the product of their effort, which created fast-break possibilities and held the Liberty attack.
Laeticia Amihere, Kayla Thornton, and Kate Martin all took advantage of those momentum plays, combining to make several crucial baskets that resulted from transition and second-effort hustling. The Valkyries played with a feeling of urgency that allowed them to momentarily recover control of the game, whether it was diving for loose balls or finishing through contact on the break.
However, New York’s Marine Johannès turned the tide just as Golden State appeared to take the lead. The shooter stunned the crowd by making three straight three-pointers in the third quarter, giving the Liberty a late-quarter lead. Johannès’ quick release and off-ball movement proved too much to contain during that stretch, reminding everyone that occasionally excellent offense wins over outstanding defense, even if the Valkyries’ defense had played strong defense the whole quarter.
With both teams exchanging big shots and changes in momentum, the fourth quarter was a back-and-forth contest. In the last period, Golden State Kate Martin made three critical three-pointers to get the Valkyries within striking distance, continuing her second-half surge. Martin finished with a career-high 21 points, going 4-of-10 from beyond the arc and showing composure in crucial situations after only scoring 7 points in the first three quarters.
Her late actions, however, were unable to lift the Valkyries to a higher level.
Kennedy Burke, who stepped up when it mattered most, responded for New York with a consistent scoring effort. Burke finished with 20 points, shooting 6-of-14 from the field and 4-of-9 from three, after scoring 11 points early in the game. Her poise and well-timed buckets allowed the Liberty to withstand the Valkyries’ charge. Also, Sabrina Ionescu converted seven free throws in the final two minutes and made a key steal with 26 seconds left, even though she was shut down by Valkyrie’s defense going 1-11 on the floor, and 1-7 shooting threes. Lastly, Breanna Stewart also finished with a double-double, 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Golden State had late-game opportunities, but the 81-78 defeat was sealed by a few missed shots and New York’s dominance of the last possessions. After another tough and competitive performance, the loss puts the Valkyries at 0-3 in the season series against the Liberty.
The Valkyries will look to bounce back quickly as they return to action on Friday night when they host the Chicago Sky at 7 p.m. Still searching for consistency and a breakthrough win in close matchups, Golden State will aim to turn lessons from this hard-fought loss into momentum heading into the weekend.
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