Valkyries Complete Season Sweep of Fever, Improving Playoff Odds
WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries Complete Season Sweep of Fever, Improving Playoff Odds

Published on September 1, 2025 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


The Golden State Valkyries completed their season series sweep of the Indiana Fever with a 75-63 win at Chase Center on Sunday. The Valkyries went 3-0 against the Fever this season and extended their active winning streak to three games. With a 21-18 record, Golden State has passed the Fever in the standings, jumping from eighth place to sixth. Iliana Rupert led all scorers with a career-high 21 points and five 3-pointers, shooting 8-for-12 from the field. Veronica Burton tallied a game-high 13 assists and Janelle Salaün and Kate Martin added 10 points apiece. Former Valkyries' forward Ariel Powers was the bright spot for the Fever, leading them with 17 points.

SHAPRSHOOTING AFTER STOPPAGE

Sunday's game had a peculiar beginning, as play was stopped multiple times over the first two minutes due to a malfunction with the shot clock, which resulted in a 30-plus-minute delay. The stoppage didn't cool off the Valkyries - in fact, Golden State ignited a 6-0 run when play resumed and hit their first four 3-pointers. French forwards Janelle Salaün and Iliana Rupert each sank two threes over that span and the Valkyries jumped out to an early double-digit advantage. Salaün added a third 3-pointer and the Valkyries ended the opening quarter 7-for-8 from behind the arc, tying their most threes in a quarter and their highest percentage with at least four attempts. The Valkyries joined the Minnesota Lynx as the only teams in the league to make seven threes on a 85-plus 3-point percentage in a quarter this season.

ANOTHER PLAYMAKING MILESTONE FOR BURTON

Even though Veronica Burton didn't make any threes in the first half, she significantly contributed to the Valkyries' 3-point explosion as she assisted on six of their nine treys. Burton tied a career-high with eight assists in the half, which she also accomplished in the second half of a win over the Dallas Wings exactly one week ago. On Sunday, she reached double digit dimes for the seventh time this season and the third occurrence in her last five games.

FÁGBÉNLÉ'S LETHAL PASS FAKE BUCKET

In the second quarter, Temi Fágbénlé scored a highlight reel bucket against her former team, grabbing her own rebound, deceiving the Fever defense with a lethal pass fake, which caused all three defenders around the paint to vacate before she converted an easy layup.

MARTIN'S MOMENTUM-SHIFTING FOUR-POINT PLAY

With the Valkyries nursing a five-point lead and buckets hard to come by at that point in the fourth quarter, Kate Martin drilled a three from the left wing and drew contact via a landing space foul. That foul was upgraded to a flagrant, so following Martin's free throw, Golden State retained possession. The Valkyries would score again, courtesy of an Iliana Rupert layup, making the trip a six-point possession. A basket by Carla Leite and a 3-pointer by Rupert extended an 11-0 Valkyries' run that stretched their lead to 16 points.

UP NEXT

The Valkyries continue their final home stand of the season hosting the defending champion New York Liberty at Chase Center on Tuesday.

Check out the Golden State Valkyries Statistics

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from September 1, 2025


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