Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY HELEN LAME’
Kelsey Plum exploded for 37 points in her debut with the Sparks as Los Angeles spoiled the expansion Golden State Valkyries inaugural game as the WNBA’s 13th franchise Friday night by a score of 84-67.
An enthusiastic sellout crowd of 18,064 fans welcomed the Valkyries to the Bay Area in a highly energetic fashion. With the Chase Center lower bowl and scoreboard transformed with lavender lighting and court graphics, one would’ve been hard pressed to believe they were in the same space the Warriors occupied just six days ago.
Kelsey Plum of the Sparks drives to the basket on the way to a game high 37 points during Los Angeles 84-67 win over the Golden State Valkyries Friday night.
“It was loud. I mean loud,” Valkries coach Natalie Nakase said. “It’s everything I could have hoped for. To have that kind of crowd is just surreal. I mean, when we’re down by 14 they still have our backs. That’s the kind of fan base we want, someone that is going to support us when we’re down, and when we’re up, to start screaming again. They are definitely part of us”
Los Angeles led most of the way but the Valkyries kept it close for three, trailing only 66-60 heading into the fourth quarter. But with Plum leading the way scoring half of the Sparks points in the final stanza LA’s more experienced roster proved decisive as Los Angeles went on a 18-7 run to end the game.
Tiffany Hayes attempts to get around Azura Stevens of the Sparks on the way to a team high 17 points during the Golden State Valkyries loss to Los Angeles Friday night in San Francisco.
Tiffany Hayes, the 2024 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year and a free agent acquisition from the Las Vegas Aces, led the way for the Valkyries with 19 points and nine rebounds. Temi Fágbénlé added 15 points with five rebounds and four assists while Julie Vanloo added 14 points off the bench including three straight three’s in a 44 second stretch of the third quarter, all on assists from Fágbénlé, quickly helping Golden State cut a 15 point deficit to six. “It was an awesome moment,” Vanloo said. “Right before, I saw Steve Kerr and I kind of got hyped, like, `Let me show you something. The crowd was amazing, It just goes through your veins and your whole body.”
Julie Vanloo of Golden State gets fired up after hitting her third straight three pointer in the third quarter of the Valkyries inaugural game against the Los Angeles Sparks Friday night at Chase Center.
Plum, a three time WNBA All-Star and winner of back to back championships with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023, was playing her first game with Los Angeles after being acquired in a blockbuster three team trade between the Sparks and the Aces and Seattle Storm in the offseason. The 5’8 point guard played all 40 minutes, shooting 11-19 from the field including four from beyond the arc with six assists and five steals. Dearica Hamby added 14 points and 10 assists for LA.
Dearica Hamby of the Sparks goes up for a reverse during a 14 point, ten rebound effort in Friday night’s season opener for Los Angeles and the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco.
Golden State’s next game will be against the Washington Mystics at Chase Center on Wednesday, May 21 at 7PM.
GAME NOTES:
Kayla Thornton got the Valkyries on the board first, scoring the first points in franchise history on a 17 foot jumper 24 seconds into the game.
The attendance was the second highest total ever for a WNBA team in their first home game, trailing only the Washington Mystics debut before 20,674 in 1998.
The Valkyries are the first WNBA expansion team since the Atlanta Dream in 2008. The Toronto Tempo is scheduled to begin play next season along with an unnamed team in Portland. The league has said it hopes to add a 16th team in time for the 2028 season.
Plum’s 37 points established a new WNBA record for most points in a season opener.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr and stars Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, Kevin Looney and Brandin Podziemski all received thunderous ovations when shown on the jumbotron at different points in the second half.
