The Golden State Valkyries dominated the Seattle Storm with an 84-57 win on Sunday night. Tiffany Hayes led the Valkyries with 21 points, while Veronica Burton contributed 15 points, along with five rebounds and five assists. Kayla Thornton, the Valkyries’ top scorer, left the game early in the third quarter due to a neck injury and is currently undergoing further evaluation. Despite her shooting struggles—scoring just two points on 1-of-9 shooting and missing all five three-point attempts—her teammates stepped up to maintain the team’s momentum.
Seattle’s Skylar Diggins put up 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds but was held to a season-low 27% shooting by Golden State’s stifling defense, which kept the Storm under 40% shooting for only the second time this season. Laeticia Amihere added 15 points and eight rebounds as the Valkyries opened with a 7-0 run and led 13-4 early in the game. Nneka Ogwumike, playing near Stanford, scored eight points on 3-of-10 shooting with seven rebounds. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with Seattle hitting only 6 of 28 three-pointers and the Valkyries making 8.
Golden State center Temi Fágbénlé logged 20 minutes after returning from a break to play for England in the EuroBasket 2025 tournament. The game drew a sellout crowd of 18,064 fans at Chase Center, marking a strong home presence for Golden State. Valkyries guard Carla Leite missed her fourth consecutive game due to a back injury.
Looking ahead, Seattle will embark on a three-game East Coast trip starting Thursday in Atlanta, while the Valkyries are set to face Minnesota on Saturday.
Fan Take: This victory highlights the growing competitiveness and star power in the WNBA, with the Valkyries showcasing resilience even without their top scorer at full strength. For fans, it emphasizes the depth and excitement in the league, promising thrilling matchups and wider exposure for women’s basketball.
