The Valkyries took a loss in their first-ever preseason game, but didn’t go down without a fight.
The Valkyries rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit and tied the score going into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t outpace the Sparks in the final 10 minutes in a 83-82 loss. Still, the crowd at Chase Center was vibrant, cheering on Golden State in their first look at the WNBA expansion team.
Golden State’s starters played the first few minutes of the third quarter, but did not return. The Valkyries’ mix of backups and third stringers shined in the second half, but couldn’t carry Golden State to a win.
Laeticia Amihere led the Valkyries with 20 points. Monique Billings had nine points and eight rebounds while Kayla Thornton added nine points.
Golden State looked like a much different team coming out of the halftime break, going on a 14-2 run to cut the Sparks’ lead to three halfway into the period before the starters were taken out of the game. Los Angeles briefly built the lead back up to eight, but a corner 3 from Laeticia Amihere tied the game at 57.
The two teams went back and forth to start the fourth quarter. An and-1 layup from Amihere brought the Valkyries to within three with under a minute left. Golden State got a stop on the next possession, but couldn’t find a clean look at 3 to tie the game as the Sparks escaped with a one-point win.
Amihere made a buzzer-beating 3 to end the game, but time wasn’t on the Valkyries’ side.
The Sparks opened the game on a 12-5 run, but the Valkyries closed the first period strong to close the L.A. lead to just three going into the second quarter.
Golden State struggled to find any rhythm in the second quarter. The Valkyries were outscored 23-12 and went into halftime down 39-25.
The Valkyries missed their first 13 3-pointers before Billings knocked in a long ball from the corner at the 2:48 mark of the second quarter.
The Valkyries will finish their preseason schedule on Sunday when they play the Phoenix Mercury on the road. The season opener is May 16 in Los Angeles against the Sparks.
