Valkyries (10-12) vs. Storm (14-9) Postgame Notes and Quotes

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WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries (10-12) vs. Storm (14-9) Postgame Notes and Quotes

July 16, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


Valkyries (10-12) vs. Storm (14-9) Postgame Notes, Quotes and Links

Golden State 58, Seattle 67

By the Numbers

Cecilia Zandalasini led the team with 12 points and was 100 percent (4-4) from the free throw line coming off of the bench.

Janelle Salaün added 10 points in the start for her seventh double-digit scoring performance of the season, including her third consecutive. Salaün also posted four rebounds and zero turnovers.

Veronica Burton posted eight rebounds and four assists to go with four points in 32 minutes of action.

Temi Fágbénlé scored five points, and is four points shy from 500 in her career.

All 11 players scored for Golden State.

The 14 points allowed by Golden State in the first quarter is tied for the second fewest allowed in the first this season (vs. WASH on 5/21 and vs. SEA on 6/29).

The 58 points by Golden State is a season low.

The Valkyries have held Seattle, who averages 81.5 points per game, to 70 points or less in all three games this season.

Quotes

HEAD COACH NATALIE NAKASE

ON THE OFFENSE TODAY:

"Yeah, just didn't make the shots, had good looks. Just didn't go in, didn't bounce our way, and that's going to happen sometimes. We were relying on the defensive end and trying to push pace. I thought we generated really quality looks for each other, and we kind of stayed the course.It just didn't go our way."

ON THE FEELING GOING INTO THE ALL-STAR BREAK:

"I feel proud, especially with a bunch of players not knowing each other and seeing their faces day one, and now being able to kind of go at them in a different way and just be authentically myself; but be truth tellers and go right at them. I feel great. We just had a great conversation of ownership of all the things that we could have done better today, including myself. I thought I could explain things better, quicker in timeouts. I love where we're at right now."

ON CECILIA ZANDALASINI'S PROGRESSION THIS SEASON:

"We got her in the expansion draft, and we played against her last year when I was with the Aces. I was like, who is that? Ceci is a beautiful basketball player. She's smooth, she reads the game really well, she can pass, she can shoot on all three levels, and she's a playmaker without people even realizing it. One thing that really hit my heart with Ceci was our last game versus Phoenix, I'm sorry to go backwards on you guys, but our last game versus Phoenix. I called a reset play, and we ran this play multiple times, they already knew who was going to shoot it. But we designed it actually for herself, and she gave that up because she knew Ja (Janelle Salaün) was rolling. And a reset is when I don't get to help, right? So I get no say on it. But Ceci gave the shot to Ja, and things like that, when your own players do things like that to play to win, that's the epitome of who we are as a team. That's where we want to be. It's completely selfless, completely recognizing who should take the shot.' You know what, I'm going to set a screen for you to get over for that shot.' Ceci to me is big heart, big selfless player, and why I love to coach basketball."

GOLDEN STATE FORWARDS JANELLE SALAÜN AND CECILIA ZANDALASINI

ON THE OFFENSE TODAY:

Zandalasini: "I think they were just a bit more physical than us. They got good runs, we weren't able to really get behind them until the last quarter. I don't know if it was fatigue or what, but we got good looks and sometimes we make, sometimes we miss, but that's the way they play."

ON HAVING TIME OFF DURING THE ALL-STAR BREAK:

Zandalasini: "Yeah, everybody needs rest. It's a mixed feeling since we didn't play very well in the last two weeks, week and a half, so we've got things to get back when we come back, but for now everybody needs to go switch off a little bit. So we will be back more prepared for sure."

Up Next

Kayla Thornton represents Golden State at the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, which tips off on Saturday, June 19 at 5:30 p.m. PT in Indianapolis on ABC. The Valkyries return to action on Friday, July 25 against Dallas at Ballhalla at 7 p.m. on ION, 95.7 The Game, and the Audacy App.

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 16, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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