SAN FRANCISCO — The difference in Friday night’s game at Chase Center boiled down to this: the Valkyries didn’t turn it over in the fourth quarter. The Sky did.
Had it not been for two errant passes — on a night when they mostly took care of the ball — the outcome could’ve been different.
The Sky played well for three and a half quarters, riding Kia Nurse’s 5-for-11 shooting from three-point range and taking a three-point lead with 6:43 left. But two turnovers — one from Angel Reese and another from Hailey Van Lith — sparked a 12-0 Valkyries run that flipped the game.
Valkyries guard Kate Martin capitalized, hitting a pair of big three-pointers in the fourth.
“We allowed them to hit some shots that were their first option,” Sky guard Ariel Atkins said.
The Sky clawed back within three on a Reese bucket with 43 seconds remaining, but it wasn’t enough. They dropped to 4-11 with an 83-78 loss.
Still, there were signs of life. Effort had been a concern earlier in the season, when the Sky often looked disconnected. But Friday marked their third straight competitive outing, a shift head coach Tyler Marsh was pleased with.
Part of the turnaround: taking care of the ball. The Sky finished with just 11 turnovers, and they’ve led the league in that category over the past three games.
“As a team, we were kind of like: it’s enough saying it, we have to do it,” Nurse said.
The Sky responded to most of the Valkyries’ punches throughout the game, fueled by solid performances from Reese — who posted 17 points and 18 rebounds — and Atkins, who added 20 points and five boards.
Reese’s late bucket gave the Sky a chance. But on the ensuing defensive possession, she fouled the ballhandler to stop the clock, despite the shot clock differential being large enough to play it out for a final possession.
Marsh took responsibility for that one.
“That was a mismanagement of the clock,” Marsh said. “That’s on me.”
The play was a learning experience for a first-year head coach still getting reps in close, late-game situations. And while the final possession stood out, games rarely come down to just one play. Valkyries guard Kayla Thornton’s 29 points loomed larger. Quick shots by the Sky in the fourth quarter were another issue.
But if the Sky can keep the turnovers low, the effort consistent and stay hot from behind the arc, they’ll be on a better track.