In front of a sell‑out crowd at San Francisco’s Chase Center, veteran guard Gabby Williams led the Golden State Valkyries to a 71-60 victory over the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals. Williams recorded a double‑double with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and was cheered with chants of “Gabby! Gabby!” throughout the first half.
Williams scored 18 of her points on 6‑for‑10 shooting before halftime, including a key three‑pointer that pushed the Valkyries ahead 32‑23 with 5:43 left in the half. The Valkyries shot 37.7% from the field, while the Aces managed 33.9%.
Supporting performances
Teammate Kiah Stokes added 14 rebounds and three blocked shots, anchoring the Valkyries’ dominant 52‑25 rebounding advantage. Kayla Thornton contributed 11 rebounds and eight points, and newcomer Aminata Gueye came off the bench to score nine points in just over 12 minutes.
For the Aces, A’ja Wilson tallied 24 points and Chelsea Gray added 16, but the team was hampered by a left‑leg injury to guard Jewell Loyd early in the third quarter. The Aces also missed forward Stephanie Talbot for the same injury.
Coaching notes
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase, who suffered a brief sideline incident in the previous round, was cleared to coach after a medical evaluation on Saturday. She relied on point guard Veronica Burton early, though Burton struggled offensively and sat out the remainder of the game after a layup miss in the third quarter. Nakase then turned to Kaitlyn Chen, who added 11 points.
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon called the loss “one of the most atrocious games of the season,” citing the team’s inability to secure rebounds and control the boards.
Looking ahead
The Valkyries will host Game 2 on Wednesday night at the Chase Center, aiming to build on their strong start and advance toward a Finals berth.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
