Tag: Veronica Burton

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.

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.

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.