Valkyries Fall at Defending Champs

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WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries Fall at Defending Champs

May 27, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


Golden State 67, New York 95

By the Numbers

Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton each had 13 points, and Burton added a season-high six assists. Thornton, who played two seasons in New York and received her 2024 WNBA Championship ring before the game, had six rebounds and four steals.

Temi Fágbénlé scored 11 in her fourth start of the season, and Kate Martin contributed a season-high 10 points off the bench, giving Golden State four players in double figures for the third time this season.

Golden State shot 57.1 percent (8-14) from three in the second half, and a season-best 35.5 percent (11-31) from deep in the game.

The Valkyries recorded a season-high 16 assists on 21 made field goals.

Stephanie Talbot got her first start of the season, posting two points, six rebounds and two assists.

Golden State outscored the Liberty 41-40 in the second and third quarters, outrebounding New York, 22-17 in those frames.

New York forced 23 turnovers, and had 32 points off turnovers.

Quotes

HEAD COACH NATALIE NAKASE

ON WHAT GOLDEN STATE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY AGAINST NEW YORK ON THURSDAY:

"Yeah, taking care of the ball. That's really key, you know, in just the way we play. We can't pass it to the other team, especially a team that likes to play in transition, and then they like to shoot threes in transition, so that's kind of like a double hit. We're not just giving up twos when we throw the ball away, especially when it's live, we're giving up threes. So it's tough to win a game that way."

ON WHAT THEY LEARNED DEFENSIVELY AGAINST A STRONG OFFENSIVE TEAM IN NEW YORK:

"Well, that's part of it, if we take care of the ball now we're not playing transition defense. So transition defense really hurt us as well, so it's a combination. You have to take care of the ball, you have to take quality shots, or it's really going to affect your defense. But we threw a lot of different schemes out there today, too. I would say we followed it maybe about 50 percent. I think we've got to pay attention better to, you know, to the details. (Marine) Johannes got hot, we made her hot, and we still could have done a little bit better job. I think, obviously too, intentional communicating was there, but I don't think we said it loud enough with a sense of urgency. And again, that goes from not scrimmaging."

ON STARTING THREE FORWARDS TONIGHT:

"It goes with how we want to play. We made an intentional effort of like, we want to own what we want to do first, like we said, find our pace, and so it's more for us. It really hasn't to do with New York. We're still trying to find our units, and then we're not fully healthy right now. So we're OK with plugging in... you rotate players, interchange. We're still trying to make the best of what we have when everyone is not healthy. But health is the first thing, that's priority."

GUARD VERONICA BURTON AND FORWARD KAYLA THORNTON

ON NOT SCRIMMAGING THIS WEEK AND TRYING TO BATTLE BACK FROM AN EARLY DEFICIT:

Burton: "Yeah, I mean, I think coach is probably trying to, you know, take some accountability for us and yeah, I guess you can say like maybe that would have helped us get in some flow and some rhythm.

But at the end of the day we're professional basketball players, and we have a standard that we need to play to and we didn't set the tone as starters coming out pretty flat in that first quarter. So we can't let that happen again, honestly, and we'll learn from it, though, and we just kind of make adjustments and go from there."

ON IMPROVING THEIR BALL CONTROL:

Burton: "Yeah, I mean, that's New York's length a little bit too and their physicality, so that's something that we need to be aware of. Obviously, we aren't the biggest team and I do agree the last few games we've taken care of the ball a little bit better, but it's still a learning curve for all of us and as point guards, too, I think we need to do a good job of protecting the ball. We talk about that being a key for us before every game, so just not telegraphing our passes, going off of two feet, making the simple passes. I think sometimes we try and make a read that isn't always there, or we try and split the defense when we just need to make some more simple passes, but eight (turnovers) in the fourth quarter is a mental thing too, I think."

ON KAYLA THORNTON'S RETURN TO NEW YORK:

Thornton: "Yeah, it definitely was a lot of emotion. I tried to bottle it up as much as I can to be there for my team. It took me a little minute just to be back and to see that I was playing on the opposite side of some of my great friends. But after I got that, it was go time. And just to be playing in this type of arena, it is a very hostile arena, and I think some players are not used to that, it's a growing experience. You can't be mad. It's a learning game, it's going to be more of those. When you go play Indiana and stuff like that, it's going to be way more. So I think this is a great start. We're playing in New York early. Again, one of the best teams in the league to see where we're at and see how we can grow, and that's all you can ask for, and I feel like our team is going to improve with that coming to the next game."

Up Next

Golden State takes on the defending champion Liberty again on Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. on KPIX and KMAX.

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