On a Sunday night in San Francisco, the Golden State Valkyries stopped trying to win on the three-point line and simply found it, closing the second quarter with a sudden rush that turned a tight game into a comfortable one. The New York Liberty, returning from a road trip that brought them only one win, could not answer the momentum that gathered in those final seconds before the break. It is a small story about how a single stretch of minutes can reshape an entire evening, and how a team can recover from a cold start to build something lasting. The Valkyries now ride a three-game streak, whi
Valkyries Pull Away From Liberty with Balanced Scoring, 76-67 Win in San Francisco
A 12-point cushion built in under two minutes.
Mark
The Valkyries missed their first eight threes and still won by nine. What actually decided it?
Mimi
That 62-second stretch late in the second quarter. The Liberty had cut it to 30-29, and then Zandalasini, Thornton and Williams hit three straight threes. It was 41-29 at halftime.
Mark
And the lead held after that?
Mimi
Mostly. New York never got within 11 in the second half, and Golden State led by as many as 22.
Luke
Worth noting the Valkyries finished 7-for-28 from deep. Three of those seven came in that one flurry, so the burst mattered a lot, but the shooting overall was poor.
Mark
So the win wasn't about hot shooting.
Mimi
It was about spreading the work. Charles led with 13, and eight players scored seven or more. Burton had eight assists and six rebounds.
Luke
Careful with the balance story, though. It's an accurate description of the scoring, but the box score alone doesn't tell us why the defense held New York to its lowest total of the season.
Mark
What about the Liberty side?
Mimi
Jones had 21 points and Stewart had 15 on 4-for-11. They shot 40.4% as a team and ended a 1-3 road trip.
Luke
The report doesn't explain Stewart's night or give a reason for the low output. We know the numbers, not the cause.
Le Pouls
- Golden State could not buy a three-pointer for most of the first half, missing its first eight attempts from deep and sitting uneasily behind New York.
- With 1:48 left in the second quarter, the Liberty had crept within a single point, and the arena tightened around the moment.
- In 62 seconds, three consecutive threes from Zandalasini, Thornton and Williams swung the score to a 12-point halftime lead.
- The Liberty never threatened again, managing no closer than 11 points after the break, and the Valkyries closed out a 76-67 win with a third straight victory.
On a Sunday night in San Francisco, the Golden State Valkyries stopped trying to win on the three-point line and simply found it, closing the second quarter with a sudden rush that turned a tight game into a comfortable one. The New York Liberty, returning from a road trip that brought them only one win, could not answer the momentum that gathered in those final seconds before the break. It is a small story about how a single stretch of minutes can reshape an entire evening, and how a team can recover from a cold start to build something lasting. The Valkyries now ride a three-game streak, while New York carries its quietest offensive night of the season back home.
For most of the first half in San Francisco on Sunday night, the Golden State Valkyries could not find the basket from long range. They missed their first eight three-point attempts, and the game remained close as the Liberty pressed.
Then, in the final minutes of the second quarter, everything changed. New York had just cut the deficit to 30-29, but over 62 seconds Cecilia Zandalasini, Kayla Thornton and Gabby Williams each buried a three. Golden State walked into halftime ahead 41-29, a lead built in less than two minutes.
The Valkyries never let it slip. New York got no closer than 11 points in the second half, and Golden State's advantage reached as many as 22. The final was 76-67, Golden State's third straight win and their second lopsided result over New York this season.
The scoring came from everywhere. Kaila Charles led with 13, and seven teammates reached at least seven points. Veronica Burton did not shoot well from deep, but she filled the stat sheet with eight points, a game-high eight assists and a team-best six rebounds. The Valkyries went scoreless over the game's final stretch, letting the margin shrink, but it was not enough to change the outcome.
For New York, Jonquel Jones scored 21 and Breanna Stewart added 15, yet the Liberty finished their road trip at 1-3 with their lowest-scoring game of the season.
For most of the first half in San Francisco on Sunday night, the Golden State Valkyries could not hit a three-pointer. They missed their first eight attempts from deep. Then, in the last 1:48 of the second quarter, that changed, and the game went with it.
The Liberty had just crept to within a point, 30-29, after two free throws by Jonquel Jones. Over the next 62 seconds, Cecilia Zandalasini, Kayla Thornton and Gabby Williams each hit a three-pointer. Golden State went into the break leading 41-29, a 12-point cushion built in under two minutes.
The Valkyries never gave it back. The Liberty got no closer than 11 points in the second half, while Golden State's lead reached as many as 22. The final score was 76-67, the Valkyries' third straight win, moving them to 13-7. It was also their second lopsided result against New York this season, following an 87-70 win in New York in May.
The scoring was spread widely. Kaila Charles led with 13 points, and seven teammates scored at least seven. Thornton added 11 points with two threes, Zandalasini and Janelle Salaun each had 10, and Tiffany Hayes scored eight with two threes of her own. Kaitlyn Chen finished with eight and Williams with seven.
Veronica Burton filled the box score in other ways. She scored eight points and had a game-high eight assists and a team-best six rebounds. Golden State won despite shooting 7-for-28 (25%) from three-point range, a figure that makes the late first-half burst stand out more.
The game did end awkwardly for the home side. The Valkyries went scoreless over the final 3:54, which let the margin shrink from its peak to nine points.
New York (12-8) finished a 1-3 road trip. Jones led all scorers with 21 points, hit a game-high three three-pointers and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds. Breanna Stewart scored 15 but shot just 4-for-11. The Liberty made 40.4% of their field goals and posted their lowest-scoring game of the season. The previous low had come in the earlier meeting with the Valkyries.
Sabrina Ionescu had a notable weekend in the Bay Area. On Friday, her former high school gym there was renamed in her honor in a ceremony. On Sunday she gave the crowd something to cheer with two three-pointers, finishing with nine points.
Golden State now carries a three-game winning streak, while New York heads home from a road trip that produced one win in four tries and its quietest offensive night of the year.
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur Yardbarker ↗
General News