Valkyries Fight Until the End, Go Bust Against Aces 104-102

The WNBA is quickly discovering, this scrappy team is all in and has no quit.

The Golden State Valkyries took the floor in Las Vegas for the first time on Saturday afternoon and left with a narrow 104-102 loss to the Aces, a result that stung but also showcased their heart, depth, and never-quit identity.

It was a game where the Valkyries shot a season-best 51.5%, moved the ball, and trusted each other, placing five starters in double figures while pushing the Aces to the final seconds.

Tiffany Hayes and Janelle Salaün led Golden State with 16 points apiece, Temi Fagbenle was nearly flawless on 6-for-7 shooting with 13 points, and Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton added 11 and 10. Off the bench, Cecilia Zandalasini returned to form with 12 points, her timely shot-making helping Golden State stay within striking distance against a high-powered Aces offense.

On the other side, A’ja Wilson returned from a wrist injury and looked every bit the player who earned three MVP honors, delivering a masterclass that reminded the league of her dominance. Wilson posted 34 points and 16 rebounds on an efficient 12-for-16 shooting performance, moving fluidly in the paint and asserting herself on both ends in a way that sparked the Aces’ first 100-point game since preseason.

Wilson stated after the game, “I wake up every day wanting to play.” She added, “It was a game-time decision. When I started warming up, it started to feel good, and I just knew that I wanted to play.”

Jackie Young added 30 points, including the final ten for the Aces, sealing the win with a poised display down the stretch. With the score tied at 94 and less than two minutes remaining, Young scored on five straight possessions, hitting a mid-range jumper, a driving layup, and six consecutive free throws while remaining a perfect 11-for-11 from the line.

Despite the Aces’ late surge, the Valkyries never backed down. Zandalasini drained a three-pointer with 17 seconds left to trim the lead to two. After a pair of Young’s free throws, Hayes hit a circus-style triple off one foot with seven seconds left, making it 102-100.

Even though Young’s free throws with 6.5 seconds left pushed the Aces ahead 104-100, Thornton and the Valkyries refused to quit, knocking down a long two at the buzzer to close it to the 104-102 final.

Golden State’s standard all season has been to win games through defense, and head coach Natalie Nakase acknowledged that the team was not at its best on that end while praising the offensive execution.

“We never know what our shooting percentage is going to be,” Nakase said. “That’s something that we can’t control. I thought we did a great job of staying in space and finding each other. I think taking quality shots this game was at a high volume, which is nice, but more importantly, though, we are going to stand and win based on our defense. That’s our standard, and so we have to make sure we show up every night to do that.”

The Valkyries allowed a season-high 54.8 percent shooting to the Aces while playing the final game of a long road trip that had already seen them post three of their top shooting games of the season, including a 47.6 percent showing in Atlanta.

Despite the disappointment in defensive execution, the team’s ability to generate high-quality looks while integrating returning players like Salaün and Zandalasini was a clear bright spot. “We were aggressive and finding that extra pass,” Salaün said. “We really were in rhythm at one point. I think we could have done more, and I don’t think we were at our best because we can play also with our physicality and maybe we should have done that more.”

Nakase credited Salaün for regaining her rhythm after her return from EuroBasket and praised Zandalasini for stepping in and executing out of a timeout to knock down a crucial three late, saying, “Credit to (Salaün) for finding her groove. Then credit to (Zandalasini), we draw a play up, and she knocks it down when she’s sitting there cold. I’m amazed by players that are that talented, that could just sit there and they get their name called and she’s shooting, they catch and shoot a 3. I think we grew in that aspect.”

Free throw disparity played a role, with the Aces shooting 35 to the Valkyries’ 24, including Young's six in the closing moments. Nakase noted, “The inconsistency of the calls, I think, really affected us,” referencing a late no-call on a Salaün three that might have shifted the ending.

“Just not good enough,” said Fagbenle. “Offensively we did a good job, but defensively, not up to par. We got to be better.”

The team once again proved they belong among the league’s toughest competitors. They don’t back down, and even in a narrow loss to a traditionally championship caliber team, they showed the effort and potential that have defined their first WNBA season.

If they continue to play with this level of fight until the final buzzer sounds, it’s only a matter of time before they become a consistent winner.

UP NEXT

• The Valkyries will now make a quick pit stop home to host this Monday July 14 against the Phoenix Mercury at 7 p.m.
• For tickets, news, and more team updates, visit valkyries.wnba.com.