Kayla Thornton led the Golden State Valkyries to a 76-70 win against the visiting Seattle Storm on Saturday night in San Francisco, delivering a crucial 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter that secured the team’s edge. Thornton’s standout 22-point performance, combined with her game-high 12 rebounds, propelled the Valkyries to their third consecutive win and continued their strong showing in their expansion season.
Supporting performances help Valkyries maintain lead
Tami Fagbenle added 16 points and seven rebounds to support Golden State’s effort. Carla Leite contributed 14 points, while Veronica Burton offered a well-rounded game with eight points, nine assists, and four steals. Despite missing three regular players who departed to compete in EuroBasket, the Valkyries held firm, ending the first half with a 44-31 advantage largely thanks to a dominant 23-5 scoring run following Seattle’s early lead.
Seattle Storm rally falls short despite strong push
Skylar Diggins led the Storm with 21 points, helping Seattle rally from a 22-point deficit to narrow the gap to 67-62 in the final minutes. Alysha Clark added 11 points, and Ezi Magbegor scored 10. However, the Storm’s comeback effort was stymied when Thornton immediately responded with her third 3-pointer, which kept Golden State ahead for the remainder of the game.
Strategic key moments and statistical edges define the game
Golden State’s shooting advantage was clear, with the Valkyries shooting 48.3 percent compared to Seattle’s 40.3 percent from the field. However, Seattle outpaced Golden State beyond the arc, shooting 24-9 from three-point range. Thornton was the only Valkyries player to successfully convert from beyond the arc, hitting 3-of-9, while her teammates combined for a 0-for-9 performance from deep.
Impact on Commissioner’s Cup standings and next steps
With the win, the Valkyries improved to 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the Commissioner’s Cup, moving closer to advancing in the midseason competition. Conversely, the Storm’s three-game winning streak ended, leaving them at 6-5 overall and also 3-2 in the Cup. As the tournament approaches its conclusion, the Valkyries’ ability to secure close wins against strong opponents like Seattle signifies their rising competitiveness in their inaugural season.
“Kyla Thornton highlighted a 22-point performance with a rally-stopping 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter and the Golden State Valkyries continued their surprising expansion-season success by holding on for a 76-70 victory over the visiting Seattle Storm on Saturday night in San Francisco.” —Field Level Media