Reserve Janelle Salaun scored a career-best 26 points that included three 3-pointers late in game Wednesday night and the Golden State Valkyries defeated the host Toronto Tempo 83-75.
Reserve Kaitlyn Chen added 16 points for the Valkyries (16-7), who have won a franchise-best six consecutive games in their second season.
Kayla Thornton scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Golden State, who are 3-0 on a five-game road trip. Salaun finished 7 of 10 from the floor, including 5 of 6 from long range, and was 7 of 9 at the free-throw line.
Isabelle Harrison scored a career-best 24 points and added eight rebounds for the Tempo (9-12), who have lost three in a row. Marina Mabrey added 11 points while Julie Allemand and Maria Conde each scored nine points.
The Tempo overcame a 13-point deficit to lead by 59-57 entering the fourth quarter. Chen scored the first four points of the fourth to propel a 12-0 run that gave Golden State a 10-point lead with 7:01 to play.
Harrison’s driving layup cut the Valkyries’ lead to six, 71-65 with 3:33 remaining. Salaun hit two consecutive 3-pointers to increase the lead to 12 with 1:47 to play. After Harrison’s layup, Salaun made another 3-pointer to ice the game with 1:16 left.
The Valkyries shot 2-for-13 from the field in the first quarter and trailed 17-11.
Golden State opened the second on a 10-0 surge capped by Chen’s steal and layup to lead by four with 6:43 to play before halftime. Thornton hit a 3-pointer with 3:03 remaining to bump the lead to 10 as the Valkyries’ strong defense began to make its presence felt. Thornton added an 11-footer to increase the margin to 12. Golden State led 41-31 at halftime.
Thornton opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer. The Tempo turned up their defense and responded with a 17-2 run capped by Allemand’s 19-footer to take a 48-46 lead with 4:17 to go in the third. Kia Nurse completed the third-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer that gave Toronto a 59-57 lead.
Toronto center Nyara Sabally left the game in the first quarter with a left knee injury and did not return. She had two points in about seven minutes.
Golden State guard Gabby Williams left with a back contusion in the second half. She had seven points in 18 minutes.
–Field Level Media
