The Golden State Valkyries dominated from start to finish at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sunday, dispatching the Toronto Tempo by a final score of 96-79 to claim a convincing home victory.
Janelle Salaun was the engine driving Golden State’s offense, pouring in a game-high 24 points to lead all scorers on either side. Her performance gave the Valkyries a reliable offensive anchor throughout the contest and set the tone for a team that never appeared seriously threatened by the visiting Tempo.
Veronica Burton ran the Golden State offense with precision, finishing with a team-best six assists to keep the ball moving and the Valkyries’ attack humming. Down low, Kiah Stokes was a force on the glass, hauling in 11 rebounds to anchor the interior and limit Toronto’s second-chance opportunities.
For the Tempo, Nyara Sabally was the lone consistent bright spot, leading Toronto in both scoring and rebounding with 19 points and 8 boards. Her double-contribution kept the Tempo within shouting distance at times, but Golden State’s collective effort proved far too much to overcome. Julie Allemand matched Burton’s six assists to pace Toronto’s ball distribution, though the Tempo’s offense as a whole struggled to find any sustainable rhythm.
The shooting numbers told the story of Toronto’s difficulties. The Tempo connected on just 29 of 67 field goal attempts, a 43 percent clip that was workable but not enough against a sharper Golden State squad. More damaging was Toronto’s performance from beyond the arc — the Tempo attempted 30 three-pointers and converted only seven, a frigid 23 percent mark that repeatedly stalled possessions and allowed the Valkyries to maintain comfortable separation.
Toronto also committed 13 total turnovers on the night, a costly habit that handed Golden State extra possessions and helped the home team steadily build its advantage. The Tempo did manage 10 offensive rebounds, showing some fight on the glass, but those second-chance opportunities rarely translated into points against a disciplined Valkyries defense.
From the free-throw line, Toronto went 14-of-19, converting at a 74 percent rate — a respectable number, but the Tempo’s inability to generate quality looks from the field meant those trips to the charity stripe were never enough to mount a serious comeback.
Golden State controlled the pace and the margin throughout, never allowing Toronto to string together enough stops or scores to make the game genuinely competitive in the second half. The Valkyries’ balanced attack, anchored by Salaun’s scoring, Burton’s playmaking, and Stokes’ rebounding, reflected a team playing with confidence and cohesion on their home floor.
The 17-point victory at Chase Center represents a strong statement win for Golden State, who continue to establish themselves as a formidable presence in the WNBA. Toronto, meanwhile, will need to address its three-point shooting woes and turnover issues before its next outing if the Tempo hope to remain competitive in a crowded league landscape.
