Category: WNBA

Valkyries found Remedy for Fever win 88-77; get back on the winning track

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Indiana Fever center Caitlin Clark drives to the basket past the Golden State Valkyrie defense in the second quarter in WNBA action at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Jun 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Michael Roberson

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Golden State Valkyries (6-6) fought off the Indiana Fever (6-6) 88-77, in front of another sellout Bay Area crowd.

Although Indiana made the first bucket of the game, Golden State went on a 7-0 run, to take their largest lead in the first half, The Fever had their own big run of 14-0, and led by as many as 10 points.

After the first ten minutes of play, the visitors from the Hoosier State led by nine, 21-12. The first quarter had two lead changes and zero ties. The Valkyries took their first punch, and managed to stay within a reasonable competitive distance.

However, the Fever increased their advantage to as high as 12 before recess. Golden State continued to fight back, and got the deficit below double-digits, 44-36. Caitlin Clark was scoreless until around the 4:00 mark, when she converted a layup. Although she had six assists to her credit.

Aliyah Boston was the only player on both sides to reach the 10+ points plateau, with 15 points and seven rebounds. The Valkyries shot 35% from the field, while the Fever were at a heated 49%, matching their nickname. Neither team shot extraordinarily well from beyond the arc.

In the second half, the Fever posted their largest margin of 13 points, but the Valkyries continued to battle back, outscoring the Fever in consecutive quarters. By the end of the third stanza, Golden State narrowed the margin to four points, 59-54.

In the Final quadrant, the Valkyries managed to overtake the Fever around the 8:00 segment (62-61), at the hands of a Tiffany Hayes bucket. Once they put themselves in front of the Fever, they had to stave them off for nearly 80% of the last quarter.

Despite Indiana’s valiant attempts to regain the lead, Golden State forged the lead up to 11 points. That was also the lead they had at the final horn, 88-77. A raucous crowd was more than excited with the home team’s fight and resilience.

Golden State had five players in double-figures, led by Kayla Thompson (16), Tiffany Hayes (14), Chloe Bibby (12) and Laeticia Amihere with ten points.

Indian produced four players with that scenario. Aliyah Boston topped her team with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Kelsey Mitchell (16), Natosha Howard (13) and Clark nearly had a triple-double with 11 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

The Valkyries are next in action Sunday, June 22, as they host the Connecticut Sun at 5:30 PM PT, while the Fever head down to Las Vegas to take on the Aces, the same date, but at Noon PT.

Aces Fall To .500 Losing To Phoenix 76-70

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Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleagh Cooper (2) goes for the lay up against the Las Vegas Aces center Elizabeth Kitley (33) and Aaliyah Nye (13) during the first half at ULTRA Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Jun 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

The Las Vegas Aces (5-5) lost a tough one falling to the Phoenix Mercury (8-4) 76-70 Sunday afternoon. The team has really struggled without their star A’Ja Wilson who is projected to return this coming Tuesday.

The team had 22 turnovers conceding 22 points on those turnovers. With poor ball protection winning seldom becomes reality. This has been a very disappointing start to the season so far. They missed open shots from start to finish. Chelsea Gray finished with the team high of 20 points.

Sunday afternoon, the Aces took on the Mercury at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The Aces had been struggling although did win their last matchup with the Dallas Wings Friday 88-84.

The Aces lost their ace A’Ja Wilson in a losing effort against the Los Angeles Sparks last Wednesday night when she suffered a head injury getting accidentally hit in the face by the Sparks Dearica Hamby while Hamby was driving to the basket.

Wilson missed Sunday’s game but has a return date for this Tuesday June 17 when the Aces take on the powerhouse Minnesota Lynx. It has not been the season we are used to seeing from Las Vegas. Their usual chemistry is just missing something and it is more than likely that the absence of Wilson has a whole lot to do with it.

After the first ten minutes of play this game was tied at 20. The Mercury took some fairly significant leads throughout the second quarter, as much as eight points, but the Aces continued to battle back. At the half, the Mercury were holding onto a 43-39 lead. Las Vegas was stubbornly hanging around, within striking distance for most of the quarter.

It started to fall apart in the third quarter when the Mercury took an 11 point lead with 3:22 left. Head Coach Becky Hammond called a time-out looking to get the Aces back on track. The Aces were having success from beyond the arc shooting 41% to the Mercury’s almost 35% but they needed more success driving the basket.

This had been a very physical game on both ends of the court for both teams. The Aces were just missing too many open shots. After three quarters the Mercury were up by six points 60-54.

Going into the fourth quarter the Aces needed stops and they really needed to settle down shutting down the turnovers, already with 14. Chelsea Gray had the team high with 18 points and both Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd had double digits through three quarters.

With 8:19 left in the game it was a two-point lead for the Mercury 60-58. Ball protection continued to falter as the Aces continued to turn the ball over now with 19. The Aces had conceded 22 points on turnovers.

Every time Las Vegas got close the Mercury pushed the lead back out. Las Vegas had not led since the first quarter. as the clock began to wind down with only 4:16 left on the clock. It came down to crunch time.

With 3:37 left in the game and the Mercury leading 71-67 the Aces had to play each possession with precision, each possession without turnover and start making those open shots. Time was not on the Aces side and with 21 turnovers it’s near to impossible to win a game.

The Las Vegas bench was not very productive with only 14 points to the Mercury’s 25 points off the bench. With under a minute left in the game Phoenix had a 76-70 lead and the Aces would fall to a 5-5 record in yet another disappointing loss.

Kim Stokes had a great defensive game finishing with 14 rebounds as well as Chelsea gray with 10 rebounds. It was without doubt the 22 turnovers that turned the tide in this game.

Now the Las Vegas Aces go back to the drawing board. They look forward to the return of Wilson as they go on the road to take on the red-hot Minnesota Lynx next Tuesday night. Wilson is projected to return for that game. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

Golden State Valkyrie game wrap: Valkyries Weather the Storm, 76-70 inside Chase Center; Golden State wins third straight game

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Even the Golden State Valkyrie bench couldn’t contain themselves in their third straight win over the Seattle Storm at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat June 14, 2025 (Golden State Valkyrie X photo)

By Michael Roberson

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Golden State Valkyries (5-5) won their third consecutive game, while ending the Seattle Storm’s (6-5) 3-game streak, 76-70, on a pleasant evening in the City by the Bay.

Golden State has Chase Center in their favor, as they have had sellouts (18,064) in all four of their WNBA home games in their inaugural season.

Seattle actually made the arena an overcast setting, as they got off to a 4-0 start to the game. After that, the Valkyries came back, and both teams had five lead changes and one tie during the initial stanza.

Golden State led by six points, which was their advantage after the quarter ended, 21-15. Although Seattle led by four early, they would never be in front again during the contest.

In the second quarter, the home team expanded their lead to as high as 15. Veteran guard Skylar Diggins hit a three late in the quarter, cutting the deficit to seven, keeping them in the contest. However, the Valkyries went on an 8-0 run, putting them back up to 15. They would keep their margin in double-digits at recess, 44-31.

Midway through the W battle, both team a one player with double-figure scoring. Kayla Thornton had 11 points and 8 rebounds after 20 minutes of gametime. Skylar Diggins topped the Storm with 10 points.

In the second half, the Valkyries led by a whopping 22 points, but had to hold on at the end of the game. Thornton added six more points to her total, and had a double-double (17/10) after three quarters. Two others eclipsed 10+ points, Temi Fagbenle (14) and Carla Leite (12) and helped the cause. Ezi Magbegor chipped in ten points and Diggins 16, at the 3/4 mark of the game. Golden State led 64-50.

In the final portion of the event, Seattle stormed back, cutting the deficit as low as four, less than a minute in regulation time. Seattle committed an offensive foul while attempting to get within 2 on a basket, three on a shot beyond the arc, or a miraculous four-point play.

Neither scenario came to fruition, as an attempted pick and roll was called a foul on the screener. Thornton politely drained two free throws, sealing the highly contested battle, 76-70.

Thornton led the Valkyries with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Fagbenle chipped in 16 points and seven rebounds, and Leite added 14 points. Diggins led the Storm with 21 points, Alysha Clark posted 11 points and Magbegor offered ten points and six Rebounds. Stanford legend Nneka Ogwumike had a great reception by the Bay Area crowd, but had a subpar game with six points, five rebounds and saddled with four fouls.

The Valkyries will next be in action in Dallas, taking on the Wings Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 PM Central Time 5:00 PM Pacific. The Storm take their cloud down to Southern California, as they take on the Los Angeles Sparks on the same date, at 7:00 PM PT.

Golden State Valkyries podcast Michael Villanueva: Valkyrie Rises Locks In Against Storm; Golden State wins 3rd straight game

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Golden State Valkyries fans lights up Chase Center as the fourth quarter begins. With 18,064 people in the bay, this was the team’s fifth sell-out. (Michael Villanueva of Sports Radio Service is credited with the photo)

On the Golden States Valkyries game podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Given how both teams have changed since opening night, what were the most important lessons learned from the Valkyries’ performance against the Storm?

#2 Michael which Golden State player stood out the most in this match up, and is that player beginning to establish herself as a reliable leader for this new squad?

#3 Given Kayla’s double-double, how did the Valkyries’ tempo and control change as a result of her effective rebounding and scoring?

#4 How well did Golden State’s zone coverage strategy work to break Seattle’s rhythm for the majority of the game, and what does it tell about the Valkyries’ coaching changes?

#5 Following an excellent game tonight, the Valkyries will focus on Dallas when they play the Wings on Tuesday, June 17 at 5 p.m. PT. What impact do you think tonight’s momentum will have on that matchup?

Golden State Valkyries podcast are heard with WNBA analyst Michael Villanueva at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Valkyries Mythological Performance: Golden State Buries Vegas, 95-68

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–For the Valkyries, this game started in an encouraging manner, and then, nothing went wrong. Pause.

Nothing went wrong.

Coming off a three-game losing streak, concluding with an 18-1 closing run that turned victory into defeat in Phoenix, the Valkyries hit the heights by blowing out the Aces, 95-68 at Chase Center on Saturday afternoon. The win in front of ABC’s national audience displayed that the expansion Valkyries have heft now, months, if not years, before anyone expected.

The Aces, just two seasons removed from their 2023 championship, and well-equipped with their core players, played sluggishly from the beginning. In concluding, their sloppy ball handling and lack of attention defensively, suggested a talented team, currently 4-3, that could ultimately go either way.

“It was a good old-fashioned ass-kicking, and there’s no other way to put it,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “This is one of the worst games I’ve ever seen the Aces play.”

The fourth consecutive sellout crowd, some who came to see A’ja Wilson for the first time, instead were treated to the Valkyries’ Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton, who led a balanced output with 22 points. Burton was flawless, finishing with a career-best 12 assists and a plus/minus of +40 in 32 minutes on the floor.

“V found KT early. I thought KT started us off amazing. She was just super confident,” coach Natalie Nakase said. “She just walked right into her threes. She’s aggressive, attacking players.”

The Valkyries spent a section of the first quarter suffering from the same malaise that struck the Aces, but they took off in the second quarter with a 34-15 advantage on the scoreboard that was capped by Kate Martin’s successful long-distance heave before the buzzer.

The second half started the same way with consecutive baskets from Thornton and Monique Billings in transition that boosted the lead to 60-31. That was the biggest margin of 29, but the Valkyries won by 27 displaying the staying power of their effort.

“When we’re locked in, we’re connected offensively and defensively, this is what we’re capable of,” Nakase said.

Undefeated Lynx Survive Valkyries’ Big First Half, Win 86-75 At Chase Center

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Believe me when I tale you. It was a tale of two halves.

The expansion Valkyries, in their biggest test to date, delivered an exemplary first half to lead the undefeated Lynx, 52-51. But the second half disintegrated into a massive tutorial as the visitors in a full display of their championship aspirations took control.

“We don’t mind pain,” coach Natalie Nakase said pointedly. “I told you we’re killers. If you’re not feeling pain then that’s a problem.”

The 86-75 result kept the visitors as the only undefeated team (7-0) in the WNBA. But it also kept the Valkyries (2-4) engaged, and striving to reach their potential as opposed to being frustrated by an 0-3 stretch against last season’s two finalists.

The next move for Nakase and her team? An already typical, laborious stretch at their Oakland practice facility in preparation for Thursday’s game in Phoenix against the Mercury.

“Just stay together,” Veronica Burton said when similarly asked about frustration. “That’s this league, that’s this season. The W is hard. There’s a reason we’re all here, and I think each player has experienced a certain level of pain or hardship. That’s allowed us to bounce back and just use it as motivation as well. Stay connected off the court. Teams that stay together succeed typically in this league.”

The Valkyries’ 52 points in the first 20 minutes was all hustle and resolve as their 45 percent shooting didn’t headline the effort as much as did their 35 shot attempts and 14 of 16 shooting from the foul line. To be the fair, the experienced Lynx didn’t renounce the fast pace, but they didn’t settle in immediately either.

The highlight of the half was the 12-2 run thay gave the Valkyries a brief 36-34 lead. Kate Martin took over during that stretch, scoring 11 of her career-best 14 points in her first five minutes floor.

But while the Valkyries individually platued and dipped, the steady Napheesa Collier ran the evening, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists that almost appeared understated. Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride efficiently supported Collier with a combined 36 points, including five made threes. Collier appeared completely healthy after missing the previous game with right knee soreness.

The first 13 minutes of the second half saw the Valkyries score just eight points and trail 75-60 with 6:58 remaining. Martin failed to score, with all of her 14 coming in the first half. But Burton came up with much of her team-best 21 points in a furious, late rally that sliced a 22-point Lynx lead to 11 with 1:56 left.

Janelle Salaun and Carla Leite, the Valkyries’ promising pair of rookies from France, both struggled with just five combined points in 31 minutes on the floor.

A’Ja Wilson Leads Aces Past Sparks For Third Win This Season 96-81

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after a play against the Los Angeles Sparks in first half action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri May 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–It got a bit shaky in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter but the Las Vegas Aces (3-2) were able to beat the Los Angeles Sparks (2-5) 96-81 with some nice closing possessions.

Aces points leader A’Ja Wilson was brilliant with 35 points and 13 rebounds for her 103rd double double. Wilson continues to amaze. Jackie Young finished with 26 points and Chelsea Gray had 15 points and four rebounds. They improved their season record to 3-2 with this win.

Game recap: It was a bit of a slow start for both teams but started to really build steam as the quarter wore on. By the end of the first quarter, the Aces had taken a 28-21 lead. Las Vegas would build on that lead winning the second quarter 29-21 taking a 57-42 lead at the half.

The Aces after having outscored the Sparks in the first and second quarter continued on this path winning the third quarter 23-17 and leading 80-59 going into the fourth quarter. There was without doubt more energy in this game than the Aces have seen all season.

After three quarters Wilson had scored 25 points. She had her 103rd double double in this game with ten rebounds along with the 25 points and with still one more quarter left in the game. The defensive energy from Las Vegas in this game was really amped up, a prelude of good things to come for the Aces.

The Sparks got a jump on Las Vegas outscoring them 11-4 mid-way through the quarter but they had a lot of ground to make up and were fighting to make this game interesting. After letting a 20+ point lead shrink to a 14 point lead, the Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon called a time out after Los Angeles went on a 9-0 run.

The Sparks continued to shrink the Aces lead and with 3:50 left in the game the Aces were hanging onto a ten-point lead after leading by more than 20 points. Las Vegas had to tighten it up and they did exactly that pushing their lead back out to 14 points 90-76 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the game. When the game got a bit shaky for Las Vegas they hunkered down and took care of business winning their third game of the season 96-81.

The Sparks fought to make a move mid-way through the fourth quarter but fell short. Four of their starters scored in double digits. Kelsey Plum had the team high with 17 points. Dearica Hamby, Odyssey Sims and Azura Stevens all had double digits.

The Aces had a breakout game with Wilson finishing with 35 points and 13 rebounds. Young was also terrific with 26 points and Gray had 15 points and four rebounds.

Game notes: Friday night the Aces hosted the Sparks at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The temperature outside was sizzling with a high of 103 degrees but inside the arena the Aces were cool and primed to advance their season record.

The Aces has suffered a couple of loses to the defending champion Liberty and also to the Storm. They will be meeting the Storm this Sunday for a little payback. They will first be looking to get past the Sparks in Friday night’s game.

The Aces have not had the best start but the two losses were against last seasons champs and also a very solid Seattle Storm. They have gotten slow starts in seasons past and Friday night’s game is pivotal after a few weeks in the 2025 season. They came into this game after getting beaten pretty soundly by the Seattle Storm 102-82 last Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

The Aces will now hop on a plane for a re-match with the Seattle Storm. Both teams have identical 3-2 records. Las Vegas will be looking to bring the same kind of energy that won this game for them Friday night.

The Aces defensive effort was their best so far this year and they will be looking for a whole lot more Sunday afternoon. TIp-off for this game is scheduled for 12:00 PM at Climate Pledge Arena.

Aces Jewell Loyd Hits Three To Steal Game From Mystics 75-72

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) and the Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen (44) go after a rebound in first half WNBA action at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri May 23, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (2-1) trailed for the entire game coming to life in the final minute of play to beat the Washington Mystics (2-2) 75-72. The Mystics refused to back down every time the Aces made a run continuing to hang onto the lead. Washington was all over A’Ja Wilson shutting her down.

She did have a double double with 12 rebounds and 15 points and Jewell Loyd had a disappointing six points but that disappointment disappeared when she hit a three with 2.1 left in the game giving the Aces their first lead since the first quarter. The Mystics got a great effort from Kiki Iriafin who finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort.

Game recap: After the first ten minutes of play, the Aces trailed by a basket 16-18. The Mystics got a fast start that they carried into the second quarter of play leading at the half 42-33. Washington outscored the Aces in the quarter 24-17.

Las Vegas would need more from their starters in the second half. Jewell Loyd had a quiet first half as did A’Ja Wilson. After the first two quarters of basketball the only player that scored double digits was the Mystics Kiki Iriafen.

Iriafen also had seven rebounds. The Aces were beaten from beyond the arc, 46% to 31% as well as from the field 42% to 31%. It was a slow start in the first half from Las Vegas.

The third quarter turned into a very physical game as the Aces made a push. They had trailed by 11 points but began to turn it all around at 6:38. Neither team had scored a basket in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the quarter.

At 5:43 the Aces had pulled to within six points 44-38. The Mystics pushed back extending their lead to 49-38. Las Vegas was committing some uncharacteristic turnovers and it was really hurting them.

A’Ja Wilson and Jewell Loyd were both struggling and the team was missing far too many layups. The Mystics continued to extend their lead and at 3:36 had built a 12-point lead 54-42. Washington was all over A’Ja Wilson at times with two to three guards covering her.

They were having a lot of success shutting her down. Jewell Loyd continued to struggle with only four points. With 1:07 left in the quarter the Aces had pulled to within six points only to watch Washington hit a three pushing their lead back out to nine points, 59-50. After three quarters the Mystics led 59-50.

Las Vegas had one quarter left to turn this game around. The Mystics had built momentum that all began in the second quarter and they continued to feed off of it in the third quarter. The Aces had to dictate the pace of play and they had one quarter to do it.

Las Vegas pulled to within six points 59-53 when Jackie Young hit three shots from the line but every time the Aces got close, the Mystics shut it down. Las Vegas had not led in this game since the opening quarter in a really frustrating game for them.

With 2:01 left in the game, the Aces had pulled to within two points 68-66, the closest they had been since the first quarter. A glimmer of hope for Las Vegas which was shut down by a shot from downtown from the Mystics Sonia Citron.

With 11.6 left on the clock this game was tied at 72. The Aces took a time-out with 7.1 left in the game and the score tied at 72. Despite a disappointing game, Jewell Loyd hit the shot that made all the difference in this game and the disappointment was replaced by pure joy. With 2.1 left on the clock she hit a three that gave Las Vegas a 75-72 win in one wild game.

Game notes: Friday night the Aces took on a young Mystics team at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The one game that Las Vegas had lost this season was at the hands of the defending champion New York Liberty. A’Ja Wilson had a monster game with 31 points in the loss but came right back shooting for 20 points in their second game of the season beating the Connecticut Sun 87-62.

Jewell Loyd also had a solid game against the Sun with 20 points. The Aces got more tonight although it was close it was a win for Las Vegas. Wednesday night, the Mystics lost a close one to the Golden State Valkyries 76-74 in a real battle. Despite playing this game at home, the Aces had a real battle on their hands and they needed all hands on deck for this one.

Next up for the Aces will be a road trip up to Seattle for a matchup with the Storm. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 3:00 PM this Sunday May 25th at Climate Pledge Arena.

First Ever Win For The Valkyries: Gritty Effort Rewarded in 76-74 Win Over The Mystics

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–When the stated goal is the process over results, the first 17 missed 3-point attempts could simply be termed artistic flaws.

Flaws? Why not. When those consecutive misses without even one make don’t leave a team dead and buried for the night, being loose with defining  major deficiencies is okay.

And years from now, the Valkyries first-ever win will be best known as a masterpiece.

Veronica Burton came up with a career-best 22 points, including a buzzer-beater before halftime and another 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining to give the home team the lead for good and the Valkyries won 76-74 in only their second ever game in front of a sellout crowd at Chase Center.

Coach Natalie Nakase, the author of “process over results” was just as impressed by her staff’s attention to detail in anticipation of a close game, and Burton’s early arrival, as she was by the win itself.

So with that myopic approach, it wasn’t surprising  that Nakase wasn’t thrilled by being ambushed by her team’s celebratory tactics that she every intention of side-stepping.

“I hate cold water, but they had me cornered,” Nakase conceded.

The visiting Mystics could have easily had the Valkyries cornered with an 18-0 run that gave them an early nine-point lead. Instead, Janelle Salaun finally made one from distance and the Valkyries trailed by only one, 25-24, early in the second quarter.

That was the first of many examples throughout the game that clearly stated the home team, supported by their forgiving crowd, wasn’t going to be deterred by a few anxious moments. The Mystics were put on notice as the Valkyries fast pace and physical approach bothered Washington, threatening their own feel good story and 2-0 start to the season. At halftime, the visitors found themselves trailing by a point despite holding Golden State to 30 percent shooting.

When Tiffany Hayes was floored by Shakira Austin in the second quarter and left bleeding on the floor, the Valkyries were without their most experienced offensive player for the remainder of the game. But that’s when Burton, normally cast as a shutdown defender, went to work offensively.

Kayla Thornton (18 points) and Salaun (10) also contributed as did Carla Leite, who did so while dealing with a bloody nose.

Brittney Sykes led Washington with 30 points, and rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron added 10 points each.

The Valkyries hit the road for their first time in Los Angeles against the Sparks on Friday night.

Very Valkyries: Spirited Comeback Thrills Big Crowd Despite Narrow 83-82 Loss

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–“We’re working on everything,” Laeticia Amihere admitted when asked what’s next for her and her newly-heralded teammates.

In fact, the wildly popular expansion Valkyries and the newly ambitious WNBA have already put in the work resulting in the league’s first expansion since 2008 and a raucous crowd that was thrilled to see their new heroines for the first time in an exhibition game.

Coach Natalie Nakase was touched by the numbers of fans, and even admitted the noise may have contributed to her team’s uneven start.

“Everyone had first-game jitters because of the crowd,” Nakase said. “For all these fans that showed up for a pre-season game.”

The home team coughed up five turnovers and managed just two assists in a first quarter that ended with the visiting Sparks leading by three. But a 14-point halftime deficit was erased in the third when the Valkyries began to run the floor, share the ball and attack the basket. The crowd grew more responsive as the Sparks lead disappeared.

An offensive possession with 30 seconds remaining and Golden State trailing by three was the night’s biggest prize eventhough the Valkyries couldn’t convert and resorted to a foul to extend the game.

Amihere’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer drew more cheers even if it left her team a point short from overtime. The buzz in the crowd was significant enough that nearly everyone was forced to check the scoreboard for an undisclosed, additional point.

“It almost felt like we won for a minute,” Nakase said.

From the standpoint of impact, the Valkyries did win by entertaining their fans that had anticipated the evening for months, even years. The team remains a work in progress, replete with veteran performers but short on top-shelf offensive talent, but for now, that’s nearly the last thing anyone will notice.

GM Ohemaa Nyanin strategy of populating her first roster with league veteran role players without feeling stressed to immediately include a superior talent felt smart as the game unfolded. The team settled in and competed after initially seeming unsettled. Amihere and fellow reserve Julie Vanloo organized the team after Kate Martin and Tiffany Hayes couldn’t covert early on.

Rickea Jackson and Kelsey Plum paced the Sparks starters with a combined 24 points, and Aari McDonald and Odyssey Sims turned defense into offense off the bench. But the crowd and the Valkyries still managed their way back into it.

The Valkyries have a couple of days of needed practice before traveling to Phoenix to face the Mercury on Sunday afternoon for their final tune -up.