LOS ANGELES – In a thrilling overtime win, the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 89-81 on Monday night. Janelle Salaun played a pivotal role, scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
A crucial moment came when Kayla Thornton nailed a 3-pointer with just 37.9 seconds remaining in the overtime period, propelling her team to victory. Veronica Burton opened her scoring in overtime with a field goal, followed by another basket from Thornton during Golden State’s next possession, giving them an 82-79 lead. Salaun further bolstered the advantage, scoring again after securing an offensive rebound, extending the lead to 84-81 with 2:03 left on the clock.
Golden State showed dominance on the boards, out-rebounding Los Angeles 49-34, with a significant 17-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Sparks struggled in overtime, missing eight of their nine field goal attempts.
Thornton concluded the game with a double-double, scoring 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, while Temi Fagbenle added an impressive 14 points, 13 rebounds, plus four steals and blocks for the Golden State team (4-5). Carla Leite also contributed significantly with 15 points, and Monique Billings scored 10. The Valkyries were efficient from the free-throw line, converting 20 of their 23 attempts.
For Los Angeles (3-7), Kelsey Plum led the charge with 24 points, including four 3-pointers and seven assists, marking a career milestone by reaching 1,000 career assists in the fourth quarter. Plum made a notable step-back 3-pointer with 37.8 seconds left in the regulation time, giving Los Angeles a narrow 78-76 lead. However, Golden State’s perseverance shined through when Leite successfully tied the game at 25.1 seconds to go after getting an offensive rebound. Plum’s last-second shot attempt in the lane was contested and ultimately fell short, leading to overtime.
Both teams faced challenges beyond the arc, jointly shooting just 19% with a combined 11 of 57 from three-point range.