Kaitlyn Chen led the Golden State Valkyries with 17 points coming off the bench, including a career-high five 3-pointers, in their 82-66 victory over the Portland Fire on Friday night. Laeticia Amihere also contributed 17 points for the Valkyries, who secured their fifth consecutive win following the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup break.
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Tiffany Hayes added 13 points and seven assists, while Kayla Thornton posted 13 points and four rebounds. Defensive standout Veronica Burton set a franchise record with six steals. The Valkyries were without star player Gabby Williams and top reserve Janelle Salaun, both of whom participated in the French team that lost to the U.S. 97-79 in the World Cup final.
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase, who served as an assistant coach for Team USA, is focusing on managing her team's health as they prepare for the WNBA playoffs. The Valkyries (30-11) currently occupy second place in the league standings, trailing Minnesota.
For the Fire, Frieda Buhner scored 14 points and Nyadiew Puoch added 11 points along with eight rebounds. Portland guard Carla Leite, who also played for the French national team, started the game but struggled initially, finishing with 12 points and six assists. The Fire have now lost three straight games, marking six losses in their last seven outings.
In addition to Chen's 17 points, the Valkyries shot 35% from beyond the arc, with Juste Jocyte and Thornton each contributing three 3-pointers.
Both teams have upcoming games: the Fire will visit Los Angeles on Sunday, while the Valkyries will host Seattle on Saturday night.