SAN FRANCISCO — In their first game on national television, the Golden State Valkyries showed out.
The Valkyries routed the Las Vegas Aces 95-69 in a nationally-televised ABC matchup to snap their four-game losing streak.
The expansion team had their best offensive showing all season as they shot 47.9% from the field and 35.7% from the 3-point line.
Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton scored a career-high 22 points and totaled 11 rebounds . Monique Billings came off the bench and scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Cecilia Zandalasini added 18 points and Kate Martin had 12.
Starting point guard Veronica Burton scored 14 points and dished out 12 assists to record her first-career double-double. Burton came three rebounds shy of notching her first career triple-double.
Golden State held Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson to an inefficient team-high 17 points on 5 of 13 shooting. She had a game-high five turnovers. Hayward-born guard Chelsea Gray had 16 points.
After taking a two-point lead after the first quarter, Golden State’s offense exploded in the second.
Powered by a balanced scoring attack, Golden State shot 10 for 16 from the field in the period to take a 21-point lead into halftime – their largest lead through the first two quarters this season. Martin ended the quarter with a deep buzzer-beating 3 that jolted the fans inside Chase Center.
Thornton led the way for Golden State in the first half with 14 points.
She had a scary moment late in the quarter when she collided with Wilson while trying to take a charge. The Valkyries tended to Thornton for a few minutes before she was able to get to her feet on her own accord.
The Valkyries continued their momentum into the third quarter, making their first six shots of the period. At one point in the third, Golden State led by as much as 29 as they shut down the Aces’ high-powered offense.
Golden State cruised in the fourth quarter behind steady scoring as Las Vegas emptied its bench halfway through the period.
The Valkyries’ Commissioner’s Cup record improved to 1-2 after Saturday’s win. The Commissioner’s Cup is an in-season competition in which the top teams in each conference with the best cup records play each other in a championship game with a $500,000 prize on the line.
The Valkyries will hit the road again when they play the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on Monday.