From the HERE City National Desk
WASHINGTON — The Golden State Valkyries finished off a semifinal sweep of the defending champion Las Vegas Aces with an 87-77 overtime win Friday, reaching the WNBA Finals in just the franchise second season.
Golden State rallied from a 13-point deficit on the road, using a 17-0 run in the third quarter and an 8-0 run in the fourth to force overtime, then outscored Las Vegas by 10 in the extra period. Gabby Williams hit a step-back jumper with 54.7 seconds remaining in overtime that sealed it.
Kayla Thornton led four Valkyries in double figures with 18 points. Williams added 16, and Tiffany Hayes and Kiah Stokes scored 11 each. Stokes, held scoreless in the first two games, went 5-for-5 from the field and finished with a double-double. Williams is averaging 22.7 points this postseason.
The Valkyries become the only expansion team in WNBA history to make the Finals in their second year, after reaching the playoffs in their first season in 2025. Las Vegas had won three of the past four titles.
Golden State will face the Atlanta Dream, who swept the New York Liberty, in the best-of-seven series. Neither franchise has won a championship. Game 1 is Saturday, Oct. 17, at Chase Center in San Francisco, with Golden State holding home-court advantage.
