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Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Valkyries take aim at another franchise first in visit to Sparks
With their first-ever win now in the record books, the Golden State Valkyries will go for their first-ever revenge victory when they face the Los Angeles Sparks in their first-ever WNBA road game Friday night. The Sparks spoiled the expansion Valkyries' opening-night extravaganza last Friday, riding newcomer Kelsey Plum's 37 points to a runaway 84-67 victory in San Francisco. The teams have since crossed paths in the standings as they've headed in opposite directions. While the Valkyries rebounded to beat the Washington Mystics 76-74 at home Wednesday night for their inaugural win, the Sparks dropped their home opener 89-75 to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday before also falling 89-86 on the road against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. One difference between the Valkyries' first two outings was the WNBA debut of Janelle Salaun in Wednesday's win. The French silver medalist contributed 10 points, four rebounds and a steal in 28 minutes in her first action since wrapping up MVP honors in the Italian League playoffs last week. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase was immediately impressed. "Just having another person who can handle the pick-and-roll just gives them a lot more freedom," Nakase said of her team's offensive flow. "Trying to get to the paint is hard. It takes pressure off other players." Golden State lost Tiffany Hayes in the second quarter of the win to a nose injury that saw her taken immediately to the locker room with a towel helping to stop the bleeding. The club's top performer in the opener with 19 points did not return, and the club has not announced her potential availability for the LA game, but Nakase appeared to indicate the long-term prognosis is good. "We're just gonna wait to see how she feels," Nakase said. "I walked to the locker room , and she was the first one to open her arms and give me a big hug." With or without Hayes, the Valkyries will have to deal with Plum, whose 37-point explosion in the opener was the second-biggest scoring day of her eight-year WNBA career. She had 40 for the Las Vegas Aces in a game at Minnesota in 2023. The 30-year-old, acquired in an offseason trade, totaled 18 points in the Sparks' loss to the Lynx, then recorded her 500th career 3-pointer among 25 points against the Mercury. The Sparks were without another key player in Phoenix, with Rickea Jackson forced to sit out while in concussion protocol. Jackson was injured in the Minnesota game after contributing 13 points in the win at Golden State. Jackson's uncertain status has only added to the Sparks' injury list, which already featured Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell , who got hurt in the Valkyries game. The situation has gotten so dire, the club had to request a hardship exception in order to sign Liatu King. On the positive side, an increased opportunity has helped forward/center Azura Stevens explode from her 11-point, five-rebound effort on opening night to 21 points and six rebounds against the Lynx and then 23 points and 17 rebounds in Phoenix. "Just unbelievable," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts gushed after the loss to the Mercury. "I'm really proud of her. She's figuring it out." Field Level Media
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former MSU teammates Cassius Winston and Gabe Brown embrace after Italian League match-up
Former MSU teammates Cassius Winston and Gabe Brown embrace after Italian League match-up Gabe Brown and Cassius Winston shared a nice moment after playing each other in Italy. Five years ago, Cassius Winston and Gabe Brown were coming off a season that ended with the Spartans' clinching a share of the Big Ten Championship before the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two Michigan State basketball stars both tried their hand at the NBA, but have now found prominent roles in Italy's Lega Basket Serie A, Italy's top basketball league. The two Spartan greats met this week in a match-up between their two teams. Winston plays for Pallacanestro Reggiana, while Brown now plays for the Trapani Shark after starting the year with Openjobmetis Varese. Winston is having a nice season for Pallacanestro Reggiana, averaging 16.3 points and 5.1 assists per game. In Game 1 between the two teams, Trapani took the win 80-75. Winston had six points, seven assists and four rebounds while Brown went scoreless. In game two, Trapani won again, 102-88, and Winston scored 12 points while adding six assists and four rebounds. Gabe Brown had two points in the win. After the game, the two Spartans shared a nice moment, embracing each other at halfcourt and getting a nice picture out of it, which you can see below: Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.
Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
The Golden State Valkyries picked up the first win in franchise history — all thanks to Newton's Veronica Burton
Burton has good reason to. The Newton native — daughter of WBZ's Steve Burton and sister to Kayla on NBC Sports Boston — almost didn't have a spot on the Valkyries roster. Burton, who played in college at Northwestern and was drafted by Dallas in 2022, was cut by the Wings before the 2024 season. Advertisement The former Newton South star found a home with the Connecticut Sun midway through last season, and stuck around for the playoffs, averaging nearly 5 points in 19.3 minutes per game en route to the conference finals. She spent the winter playing in Australia, then was chosen in December's expansion draft by the Valkyries (1-1). And on Wednesday at the Chase Center, she recorded a career-high 22 points, to go with nine rebounds and five assists. Kayla Thornton converted a four-point play with 1:03 left and scored 18 points for the Valkyries, cheered on by a dancing Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski among the raucous sellout crowd. Streamers rained down after the final buzzer sounded. Sonia Citron's 3 for Washington with 5 seconds left made it interesting. Advertisement Brittney Sykes scored 30 points and converted two free throws with 1:58 to play to put Washington ahead but the Valkyries knocked down all the big shots in the closing minutes after losing guard Tiffany Hayes to a nose injury late in the first half. Burton banked in a Stephen Curry-like long 3-pointer to beat the halftime horn and put Golden State ahead 31-30 at the break. Janelle Salaun scored 10 points and grabbed a key rebound in the waning moments while making her WNBA debut fresh off an Italian League title and Finals MVP honors for Beretta Famila Schio. Her 3-pointer with 2:07 in the first half was the team's first after 17 misses from deep to start the game. Hayes was helped off the court late in the second quarter and didn't return after taking an arm to the face from Washington's Shakira Austin and going down for several minutes. She gave a thumbs up after she was helped off the court and went to the locker room with a towel pressed to her face. Golden State, beginning its first season and playing at Chase Center that's also home to the NBA Warriors, finished just 7 of 37 from long range. Washington visits the Las Vegas Aces on Friday. The Valkyries begin their inaugural three-game road trip beginning Friday at the Los Angeles Sparks, who beat Golden State in its opener last Friday.
NBC Sports
22-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Veronica Burton scores 22 to lead Valkyries to expansion franchise's first win, 76-74 over Mystics
SAN FRANCISCO — Veronica Burton made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining, another with 29 seconds left on the way to 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, leading the Golden State Valkyries to the expansion franchise's first victory with a 76-74 win against the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night. Kayla Thornton converted a four-point play with 1:03 left and scored 18 points for the Valkyries, cheered on by a dancing Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski among the raucous sellout crowd. Streamers rained down after the final buzzer sounded. Sonia Citron's 3 for Washington with 5 seconds left made it interesting. Brittney Sykes scored 30 points and converted two free throws with 1:58 to play to put Washington ahead but the Valkyries knocked down all the big shots in the closing minutes after losing guard Tiffany Hayes to a nose injury late in the first half. Burton banked in a Stephen Curry-like long 3-pointer to beat the halftime horn and put Golden State ahead 31-30 at the break. Janelle Salaun scored 10 points and grabbed a key rebound in the waning moments while making her WNBA debut fresh off an Italian League title and Finals MVP honors for Beretta Famila Schio. Her 3-pointer with 2:07 in the first half was the team's first after 17 misses from deep to start the game. Hayes was helped off the court late in the second quarter and didn't return after taking an arm to the face from Washington's Shakira Austin and going down for several minutes. She gave a thumbs up after she was helped off the court and went to the locker room with a towel pressed to her face. Golden State, beginning its first season and playing at Chase Center that's also home to the NBA Warriors, finished just 7 of 37 from long range. Up next Washington visits the Las Vegas Aces on Friday. The Valkyries begin their inaugural three-game road trip beginning Friday at the Los Angeles Sparks, who beat Golden State in its opener last Friday.
Fox Sports
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Veronica Burton scores 22 to lead Valkyries to expansion franchise's first win, 76-74 over Mystics
Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Veronica Burton made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining, another with 29 seconds left on the way to 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, leading the Golden State Valkyries to the expansion franchise's first victory with a 76-74 win against the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night. Kayla Thornton converted a four-point play with 1:03 left and scored 18 points for the Valkyries, cheered on by a dancing Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski among the raucous sellout crowd. Streamers rained down after the final buzzer sounded. Sonia Citron's 3 for Washington with 5 seconds left made it interesting. Brittney Sykes scored 30 points and converted two free throws with 1:58 to play to put Washington ahead but the Valkyries knocked down all the big shots in the closing minutes after losing guard Tiffany Hayes to a nose injury late in the first half. Burton banked in a Stephen Curry-like long 3-pointer to beat the halftime horn and put Golden State ahead 31-30 at the break. Janelle Salaun scored 10 points and grabbed a key rebound in the waning moments while making her WNBA debut fresh off an Italian League title and Finals MVP honors for Beretta Famila Schio. Her 3-pointer with 2:07 in the first half was the team's first after 17 misses from deep to start the game. Hayes was helped off the court late in the second quarter and didn't return after taking an arm to the face from Washington's Shakira Austin and going down for several minutes. She gave a thumbs up after she was helped off the court and went to the locker room with a towel pressed to her face. Golden State, beginning its first season and playing at Chase Center that's also home to the NBA Warriors, finished just 7 of 37 from long range. Up next Washington visits the Las Vegas Aces on Friday. The Valkyries begin their inaugural three-game road trip beginning Friday at the Los Angeles Sparks, who beat Golden State in its opener last Friday. ___ AP WNBA: recommended
