​Janelle Salaün poured in 26 points to help the Golden State Valkyries top the Toronto Tempo 83-75, extending their winning streak to six—a franchise record—and marking their first victory against Toronto. Golden State led 44-31 with 8:55 remaining in the third quarter, but Toronto surged back with a 15-2 run to seize the lead. Julie Allemand hit a jumper to put Toronto ahead, and Maria Conde followed with a 3-pointer to increase the Tempo’s advantage. Toronto held a 59-57 edge as the fourth quarter began, but the Valkyries finished strong, outscoring Toronto 26-16 in the final period to seal the win.
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase noted that facing adversity has become a recurring theme for the team of late. “Playing through adversity has been the key. The last two games, specifically, we didn’t start out really well,” Nakase said. “The second unit came to life again, so credit to them for staying ready. That, to me, is the biggest takeaway right now. We need everybody.”
Salaün finished 7-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-6 from three-point range, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter. Kaitlyn Chen added 16 points off the bench, tying her career high for made field goals with seven, while Kayla Thornton contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. The Valkyries’ reserves outscored Toronto’s 52-20, and Golden State dominated the boards 31-23, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to Toronto’s four.
For Toronto (9-12), Isabelle Harrison led with a career-best 24 points and eight rebounds, scoring six of the Tempo’s first 10 points. Marina Mabrey, named Toronto’s first WNBA All-Star the day before, finished with 11 points, well below her season average of 21.1, as Golden State implemented face-guarding and frequent trapping, especially with Gabby Williams, to limit her production. Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said Mabrey’s attention on defense was the story of the night. “They were really aggressive on Marina all night, so it was hard to get her open,” Brondello said. “She’s tough. Unfortunately, she’s facing a lot of trapping. We probably need to find more solutions to get her into pinch actions where she can create something through isolations.”
Toronto, now on a three-game slide, played without Brittney Sykes (left plantar fascia), Kiki Rice (ankle sprain), and Temi Fagbenle (concussion). Sykes has missed seven straight games. Nakase highlighted the impact of the road crowd. “The noise in the arena really tests you,” she said. “It also takes a lot of communication, especially in a loud arena like the Tempo have. They have a great crowd here, so just a good job of our players sticking together, not looking around or getting distracted.”
Thornton echoed the sentiment, saying the victory underscored the team’s depth during a challenging stretch. “We win these games because we have a strong depth. Our bench players—though I don’t like calling them bench players—step up and do a tremendous job. It’s a great team win, and we’re going to keep building,” she stated.
Note: Golden State’s next stop is slated to be at Connect, a move framed to boost visibility and audience engagement. The Valkyries’ continued reliance on a deep rotation and relentless defense will likely remain crucial as they pursue continued success in the current campaign.