SAN FRANCISCO — Gabby Williams delivered in the clutch once again, drilling two critical three-pointers in the final six minutes to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 74-69 victory over the Washington Mystics on Saturday night at Chase Center, extending their franchise-record winning streak to nine games.
Williams finished with a team-high 18 points, providing the offensive spark that turned a late deficit into another Valkyries triumph. Trailing 65-62 with just under six minutes remaining, Williams connected from deep to cut the gap to one. Moments later, Kiah Stokes tied the game with a three-pointer of her own before Kayla Thornton put Golden State ahead for good with a triple at the 4:14 mark.
Veronica Burton recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists, adding five rebounds as the Valkyries closed the game on a dominant 15-4 run. Burton's three-pointer with 2:14 remaining stretched the lead to 71-65, effectively sealing the outcome.
The Valkyries (16-6) have now won 13 of their last 15 games, with 11 victories coming at home, where they have sold out every contest at Chase Center since their inaugural season tipped off last year.
Washington (9-13) was led by Shakira Austin, who posted 18 points and matched her career high with 16 rebounds. Rookie guard Sonia Citron added 12 points despite briefly exiting in the third quarter after a hard collision with Cecilia Zandalasini while competing for a rebound.
Golden State entered the night allowing a WNBA-low 76.1 points per game with a Western Conference-leading defensive rating. That defensive identity was on full display during the decisive fourth-quarter stretch, as the Valkyries held the Mystics to just four points over the final four minutes.
The two sides will meet again at Chase Center on Monday in their final game before the WNBA All-Star break.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/mystics-valkyries-score-bb12d972dd0444514525da8b2a71e9a4
