SAN FRANCISCO — While there is still plenty of season left, the Golden State Valkyries’ approached Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks as one of the biggest of the year.
The two California teams came into Saturday with identical records and the Valkyries holding a 2-1 series lead over the Sparks. Golden State, clinging onto the eighth and final playoff spot with 15 games remaining in the regular season, played the game with a higher sense of urgency.
“This is a must win game tonight,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said prior to Saturday’s contest. “We stay focused on the present, but we do look at the games ahead in the next couple days. So we’re very mindful. … We understand the importance of what our schedule looks like in the next couple days.”
With all that was on the line, the Valkyries came away with a 72-59 win over the Sparks in front of its 14th consecutive sellout crowd of 18,064. The Valkyries snapped the Sparks’ three-game winning streaks and won their first game in eight days.
Cecilia Zandalasini finished with 14 points — all coming in the first half. Veronica Burton led the Valkyries with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.
The Valkyries held the high-octane Sparks offense to 32.8% shooting from the field and limited star Kelsey Plum to just four points.
“Every game is important,” Burton said. “We don’t have a ton left and every game is a playoff-indicating game. So you’re aware of it, and you understand the importance of it, but you don’t necessarily make it everything.”
Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 15 points. Stanford star Cameron Brink finished with five points and former Valkyries’ point guard Julie Vanloo had two points in their return to the Bay Area.
Guard Tiffany Hayes left the game in the fourth quarter after a collision with Brink, but did return after getting treatment on the bench. She finished with eight points.
Zandalasini started Saturday’s game hot.
The Italian forward hit 4-of-5 3-pointers in the first half and totaled 14 points to give the Valkyries a 33-23 advantage at halftime.
Since the All-Star break, Zandalasini has shot 37.5% on shots from beyond the arc.
The Sparks clawed their way back into the game in the third quarter behind 15 points from Dearica Hamby. But a 10-4 run from the Valkyries gave the home team their 10-point advantage back and all the momentum going into the fourth quarter.
In the final period, the Valkyries torched the Sparks’ drop coverage defense, finding open looks all over the floor. The Valkyries shot 6-for-13 from the field in the fourth quarter with most shots being uncontested.
“If they drop, they need to help from somewhere else because our bigs roll the rim very fast,” Zandalasini said. “Things are more open for us and there’s more spacing when they’re dropping.”
Golden State outscored the Sparks 16-11 in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The Valkyries will finish their three-game home stand on Monday when the Connecticut Sun comes to town.
Burton not sweating Plum scuffle
In the fourth quarter, Burton got visibly upset with Plum after the four-time All-Star looked to have tripped her while she was dribbling. Burton went to Plum as she was on the ground and said something to her that got a reaction out of both teams.
After review, officials deemed the foul a flagrant 1.
When asked about the play after the game, Burton said she didn’t mind the physicality.
“I think it’s part of the game,” Burton said. “It got called a flagrant, so we just move on from there.”
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said Plum didn’t have malicious intent.
“She was trying to kick the ball, she’s not a dirty player,” Roberts said.
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