The Golden State Valkyries extended their winning streak to six games with an 83-75 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena. Forward Iliana Salaun led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and adding 7 rebounds.
Valkyries dominate early, hold off late Tempo rally
Golden State jumped out to a 24-16 lead after the first quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage through most of the second half. The Tempo cut the deficit to 5 points with under two minutes remaining, but the Valkyries responded with key defensive stops and free throws to seal the win.
“We knew they would make a run, but we stayed composed and executed down the stretch,” said Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase. “Salaun was phenomenal tonight, both offensively and on the glass.”
Key contributions from bench and defense
The Valkyries also got 14 points from guard Kelsey Plum and 12 points off the bench from forward Kayla Thornton. Toronto was led by Marina Mabrey's 18 points and 6 assists, while center Aliyah Boston added 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Tempo shot just 41% from the field, compared to Golden State's 48%.
“We have to find a way to stop their transition game,” said Tempo coach James Wade. “They got too many easy baskets in the first half, and that put us in a hole we couldn't fully dig out of.”
Standings implications
The win improves the Valkyries' record to 18-5, keeping them atop the WNBA standings. The Tempo fall to 12-11, remaining in fifth place. Golden State returns home to face the Las Vegas Aces on Friday, while Toronto travels to Chicago to take on the Sky.
