Transcript: Golden State Valkyries 71, Las Vegas Aces 60. Williams leads Valkyries past Aces in playoff opener. Gabby Williams led everyone with 25 points.
The story
Golden State held off Las Vegas 71-60 in a defensive struggle that turned on the glass. The Valkyries won the first quarter 22-18 and the third 22-17, building a 56-48 lead into the final period. Las Vegas mounted a brief threat with an 8-0 run in the second quarter, but Golden State's rebounding advantage proved decisive. Kiah Stokes corralled 14 boards with 4 blocks, while Kayla Thornton added 11 rebounds. The Aces' A'ja Wilson scored 24 points but managed just 4 rebounds as Golden State controlled the glass on both ends.
2Williams orchestrated the Valkyries' balanced attack with 25 points and 11 rebounds, adding 5 assists. Her presence on both ends anchored Golden State's defense while providing consistent scoring punch throughout.
The stat line
The stat line
| Golden State Valkyries | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabby Williams | 25 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Kaitlyn Chen | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Aminata Gueye | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Kayla Thornton | 8 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cecilia Zandalasini | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Veronica Burton | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Janelle Salaun | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaila Charles | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kiah Stokes | 0 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Las Vegas Aces | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A'ja Wilson | 24 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chelsea Gray | 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Jackie Young | 11 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Kierstan Bell | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Brianna Turner | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kalani Brown | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mai Yamamoto | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cheyenne Parker-Tyus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jewell Loyd | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Justine Pissott | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
