Valkyries claim first title in second season: Game 7 thriller decided by late surge
Gabby Williams scored 30 points as Golden State defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to secure the WNBA championship.
By Jacob Reynolds ·
The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday night in San Francisco. The victory secured the championship for the team in its second season of existence.
Gabby Williams led the effort with 30 points, scoring 28 of those in the second half. She made 10 of her 23 field goal attempts in a low-scoring affair where neither team shot efficiently.
The game remained tight until the final minutes. Allisha Gray of the Dream hit a short jumper with 5:14 remaining to tie the score at 53. Williams then hit two free throws and a driving layup to give Golden State the lead, though Atlanta erased those advantages quickly.
With 2:18 left, Williams hit a 31-foot three-pointer to put Golden State ahead 60-57 for the final time. Kiah Stokes added two free throws and later tipped in a rebound off a Williams miss with 53 seconds remaining, extending the lead to 64-57.
The Valkyries protected that advantage down the stretch. Veronica Burton was fouled with 5.1 seconds left and made both free throws to close out the game. Williams also won a jump ball over Gray with 8.3 seconds remaining to preserve the 66-63 lead.
Statistical data showed a defensive battle. Golden State made only five of 20 three-point attempts. The Dream shot 33.3% overall from the field, making 23 of 69 shots, and went 6-for-30 from beyond the arc. Williams recorded four blocked shots, contributing to a total of eight blocks by Atlanta.
Kiah Stokes led all players with 13 rebounds and added eight points. Veronica Burton posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jordin Canada scored 18 points for Atlanta, while Gray added 16. Angel Reese contributed eight points and 12 rebounds for the Dream.
The Dream has played in the WNBA since 2008 but has not won a title. They lost previous Finals in 2010, 2011, and 2013. The Valkyries had trailed 37-28 in the third quarter before Williams scored the team's final 13 points of that period to give them a 45-44 lead entering the fourth.
Source: The Forum of Fargo–Moorhead
