Sunken in the Bay: Valkyries Blitz Cold-Shooting Sun 97-70
Sunken in the Bay: Valkyries Blitz Cold-Shooting Sun 97-70
SAN FRANCISCO — If you were hoping for a competitive, down-to-the-wire battle of basketball wits on Monday night, I sincerely hope you turned the television off early. The Golden State Valkyries absolutely dismantled the Connecticut Sun 97-70, turning what should have been a WNBA marquee matchup into a complete and utter track meet.
With the victory, the expansion Valkyries improve to a comfortable 4-2, while the Sun continue to look completely eclipsed, sliding to a dismal 1-7 on the season.
Gabby Sets the Tone, the Bench Brings the Fireworks
From the opening tip, Gabby Williams made it clear she had reservations at a nice Chase Center dinner spot after the game and didn't want to waste any time. Williams was electric early, hitting 4 of her first 6 shots and finishing the night 6-of-10 from the field, including three absolute daggers from beyond the arc for a team-high 15 points.
The support cast didn't skip a beat either:
Kaila Charles put on a masterclass in dirty work, churning out 12 points and 7 rebounds.
Veronica Burton pulled the strings beautifully with 11 points and 6 assists, ensuring the offense moved with ruthless efficiency.
By the time the halftime whistle blew, Golden State held a commanding 17-point lead. The Sun weren't just cold; they were historically frozen. Second-year guard Hailey Van Lith struggled immensely in her new threads, going just 2-of-7, while Saniya Rivers had a night she'll want to scrub from her memory entirely, missing all eight of her field goal attempts.
The Long-Awaited Arrival
As if the blowout wasn't enough to satisfy the Bay Area faithful, the real roar of the night came with 4:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Enter Juste Jocyte.
The franchise's historic, first-ever draft pick (selected fifth overall last year) finally made her highly anticipated WNBA debut after finishing up her overseas commitments. She didn't waste a solitary second showing the league why management kept her seat warm. Jocyte immediately hit a silky pull-up jumper, followed it up with a cold-blooded triple, and walked off the court with a quick 5 points in under five minutes of action. Consider the league officially warned.
Reinforcements and Milestones Delayed: The Valkyries also welcomed back Cecilia Zandalasini (6 points), who missed the last four games while in concussion protocol. Meanwhile, the Sun was severely shorthanded. Center Olivia Nelson-Ododa returned from an ankle injury but was parked on a strict 12-minute restriction, and superstar Brittney Griner sat out entirely with a nagging rib injury. Griner remains stranded just one single point away from becoming the 18th player in WNBA history to reach the legendary 6,000 career points milestone.
By The Numbers
TeamPace/Vibe Field Goal Woes Silver Lining
Connecticut Sun Running on fumesRivers: 0-8 / Van Lith: 2-7 Aneesah Morrow: 11 pts, 10 reb
Golden State Valkyries Absolute wagon17-point cushion at half Juste Jocyte's flawless debut
Up Next
The Sun will try to salvage the final game of a grueling five-game road trip when they head to Portland on Wednesday.
As for the Valkyries? They get to stay right at home, kicking back until Thursday when Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever come to town for what promises to be an absolute circus. Get your popcorn ready.
