SAN FRANCISCO — The scoreboard showed an 83-82 loss for the Golden State Valkyries in their preseason debut, yet the vibes inside Chase Center would suggest otherwise.
Despite falling to the Los Angeles Sparks in their first-ever preseason game, the Valkyries showed promise and left the floor to a standing ovation from the Bay Area crowd.
“It felt like a playoff game,” head coach Natalie Nakase said. “Our players played with so much passion, and as soon as you saw us dive on the floor or give a tough foul or a block a shot, that crowd just responded.”
The Valkyries rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit and tied the game two separate times in the second half, but fell just short in the end as Laeticia Amihere’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer cut the Los Angeles lead from four the clock hit zeroes.
Still, Golden State came away from Tuesday’s game content with its effort.
“It was a blessing finally seeing this all come to pass,” nine-year veteran Kayla Thornton said. “Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, the cheers and stuff like that was great. This was our first game and I thought we did a tremendous job.”
Here are five takeaways from the Valkyries’ first preseason game:
Golden State has solid trio in starting lineup
While the starting lineup will continue to be tweaked over the next few weeks, the Valkyries seem to have a solid scoring trio of Kayla Thornton, Monique Billings and Tiffany Hayes.
The three starters all had a positive plus-minus rating in nearly 20 minutes of play and combined for 24 points, 16 rebounds and five assists.
“Their IQ just works,” Nakase said. “They can all shoot threes, so the spacing is all around the three-point line.”
The trio was instrumental in bringing the Valkyries back from a 14-point deficit at halftime, orchestrating a 14-2 run that shifted momentum in the second half.
“We’re still all learning from each other, but I think we did a great job coming out of the second half,” Thornton said.
Amihere pushes for rotation spot
Before Tuesday, Amihere’s role on the team was relatively unknown. The former first-round pick was claimed by Golden State off waivers in February after struggling to find a role with the Atlanta Dream last season.
But after leading the Valkyries with 20 points, Amihere looks to be carving out a spot in Nakase’s rotation. The 6-foot-3 forward started the second quarter and was a steady scoring presence, helping the Valkyries keep pace with the Sparks until the final seconds of the game.
“She’s almost like a big guard and I think it’s going to be very challenging for other teams to guard her because we can stretch her out,” Nakase said.
Amihere shot 7 for 11 from the field, which included going 2 for 4 from the three-point line. She scored five baskets in the paint on a myriad of moves from both the high and low post.
“I was just keeping it simple,” Amihere said. “I think this offense and how we move as a team is very conducive to how I like to play.”
Interior defense needs work
The Valkyries entered Tuesday’s game missing front court depth as Cecilia Zandalasini and Stephanie Talbot were ruled inactive hours before tipoff.
The Sparks took advantage of that early with their starters in the game.
Los Angeles guard Kelsey Plum drove at the rim at will in the first two quarters, creating for herself and others. The Sparks scored 26 paint points in the first half at a nearly 60% clip.
Rookie guard impresses in WNBA debut
French guard Carla Leite is one of the more intriguing pieces to the Valkyries’ roster.
She was drafted ninth overall by the Dallas Wings in 2024, but opted to remain overseas last year. She was picked up in the expansion draft in December and was considered one of the more talented guards during training camp.
She only scored four points and dished out two assists in 15 minutes of action, but showed flashes of becoming a key guard in the rotation.
Leite had a smooth driving layup in the first quarter that garnered oohs and aahs from the crowd.
“If she sees a lane, she just goes, and that’s hard,” Nakase said. “Just to see players that have that fearless mindset, I admire that.”
What does the rotation look like?
After cutting guard second-round pick Shyanne Sellers on Saturday, the Valkyries roster sits at 17 players.
Golden State dressed 14 players against the Sparks with injuries to Zandalasini and Talbot, and French forward Janelle Salaün is expected to join the roster sometime before the end of training camp.
While everyone who dressed saw the court on Tuesday, Nakase looks to have solidified a core group of players that includes the starters, Amihere, Leite, veteran Julie Vanloo and second-year guard Kate Martin. Those were the nine players that played in the first half against the Sparks’ starters.
That leaves Chloe Bibby, Kaitlyn Chen, Elissa Cunane, Kyara Linskens and Mamignan Toure on the fringes of making the roster.
Nakase said she did like what the group did to help bring the Valkyries back in the second half, but with the roster needing to be cut down to 12 before Golden State’s season opener next week, it will be an uphill battle for the players who didn’t play in the first half to make the team.
The Valkyries will play their final preseason game on Sunday against the Phoenix Mercury on the road before their season opener at Chase Center against the Sparks on May 16.
