Valkyries Snuff Sun in Explosive 87-63 Blowout Win

SAN FRANCISCO — You can’t stop a supernova. Once it ignites, all you can do is watch the explosion unfold.

In front of another sold-out crowd at Chase Center, the Golden State Valkyries delivered a fiery performance on Sunday night, scorching the Connecticut Sun 87-63 in a game defined by intensity, dominance, and an unforgettable second quarter that left fans in awe and their opponent in ashes.

The win marked Golden State’s fifth victory in six games and elevated their record to 7-6, while the struggling Sun, playing without star guard Marina Mabrey due to a knee injury, dropped their sixth straight to fall to 2-12 on the season.

Both teams are known for their relentless intensity, but it was the Valkyries who brought the blaze from the opening tip. The crowd erupted early in the second quarter as rookie Kaitlyn Chen made her WNBA debut, scoring her first career field goal on an and-one layup to a thunderous ovation. It was a fitting start to what would become a firestorm of a second period, arguably the finest stretch of basketball in the franchise’s short history.

After closing the first quarter on a 4-0 run to take a slim 23-20 lead, Golden State ignited in the second, outscoring the Sun 36-12 in a quarter that flared with energy and execution.

The Valkyries shot 10-of-18 from the field and a red-hot 12-of-14 from the free-throw line, led by Kayla Thornton’s 14-point eruption in the frame. Thornton finished the game with 21 points, eight rebounds, and a +31 plus-minus rating. Her relentlessness set the tone for a team that seemed determined not to suffer a letdown in performance.

“We knew we couldn’t come in here relaxed,” said Thornton after the game. “This is another team that their record doesn’t reflect who they are… so shout-out to our team and shout out to our fans tonight.”

The Valkyries' blazing second quarter featured contributions from across the roster. Chloe Bibby opened the period with a three-pointer and added another later to finish with 11 points. Tiffany Hayes continued her strong run of play with 14 points, while Veronica Burton added 10, her seventh double-digit scoring performance of the season. In total, all 11 Valkyries who suited up logged points in the game.

By halftime, Golden State had surged to a commanding 59-32 lead, their highest-scoring half of the season and a new franchise benchmark. The onslaught was as much about grit as it was about shooting, the Valkyries turned offensive rebounds into seven second-chance points and once again dominated the paint, outscoring the Sun inside, 32-12.

The second half saw a cooling of the offense, but the Valkyries' defense remained steadfast. While Golden State scored just 28 points after intermission, they held Connecticut to 31, snuffing out any hope of a Sun comeback.

Head Coach Natalie Nakase praised her team’s defensive identity postgame, stating, “Keeping them to 63 points, that’s a great beginning to where we really want to push the envelope on the defensive side.”

The Sun did show flickers of life in the fourth quarter, opening with an 8-0 run and closing the gap to 19 with under three minutes to play, but Golden State responded with a final 10-5 burst to seal the emphatic 24-point win, their second-largest margin of victory this season.

Laeticia Amihere was another bright spot for the Valkyries, logging a career-first double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action, playing with an added intensity and enthusiasm for the game, evident as she banked in the first three-pointer of her career.

Stephanie Talbot, though scoring only six points, pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds and added four assists in a performance that Coach Nakase praised for its versatility and leadership. “Whatever our key points are, she just takes ownership,” Nakase said. “That’s what I love about Steph.”

Connecticut, meanwhile, shot a chilly 30% from the field and 29% from beyond the arc. Rookie forward Aneesah Morrow led the Sun with 14 points, continuing her promising stretch of play, and Jacy Sheldon chipped in 10.

The Sun did tally a season-high 11 blocks, with Olivia Nelson-Ododa recording a career-high five, but their efforts were drowned out by the Valkyries’ flaring second-quarter dominance.

As the Valkyries continue their homestand, next facing the reigning champion New York Liberty, they do so with momentum, confidence, and a growing belief that their scorching style of play is built to last. With the crowd behind them and a roster finding its rhythm, the Valkyries look every bit like a team finding their consistency, one blazing performance at a time.

GAME NOTES

• Golden State has scored 30 or more points in the paint in six straight games, and are 5-1 over that stretch.
• The Valkyries had single-digit turnovers for the second straight game (nine tonight, seven versus Indiana on June 19).

UP NEXT

• The Valkyries continue the homestand against the Chicago Sky on Friday, June 27 at 7:00 p.m. on ION, 95.7 The Game, and the Audacy App.
• For tickets, news, and more team updates, visit valkyries.wnba.com.