LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kayla Thornton scored 18 points and the second-year Golden State Valkyries became the quickest expansion team to reach the WNBA Finals, sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 87-77 in overtime Friday night in Game 3.
The second-seeded Valkyries will have home-court advantage and will host No. 4 Atlanta beginning Oct. 17. The Dream swept New York earlier in the night, and now teams are 22-0 in playoff history when leading a series 2-0.
Las Vegas, which was seeded third, had won three of the past four championships.
Gabby Williams added 16 points for the Valkyries, including eight in overtime. Former Aces Kiah Stokes and Tiffany Hayes each had 11 points, and Stokes also grabbed 10 rebounds.
A’ja Wilson, honored before night’s game for winning an unprecedented fifth MVP, scored 21 points, but on 6-for-19 shooting for the Aces. She also had 10 rebounds, joining DeWanna Bonner as the only players with 1,300 points and 600 rebounds in the postseason.
Jackie Young added 18 points and Chelsea Gray 17.
A 17-point run bolted Golden State past the Aces for a 53-47. Las Vegas closed within a point by the end of the quarter, giving the Aces only seven points in the period.
The Aces led by six points late in the game before the Valkyries evened the score when Gabby Williams stole the ball from Wilson and Thornton finished with a transition layup to make it 69-69 with 1:50 left.
Golden State then took the lead Veronica Burton's 9-foot floater with 1:12 remaining. The Aces tied the score on Gray's inbound pass to Young with 27 seconds left and ultimately force overtime.
The extra period belonged completely to the Valkyries, who outscored the Aces 16-6
___
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
-
Aces rest A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young in loss to Liberty
Without A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young, the Las Vegas Aces were no match for the New York Liberty, losing 111-71.
Gray hits buzzer-beating 3s to lift Aces past Fever 86-84 in OT
Chelsea Gray made two buzzer-beating 3-pointers after Caitlin Clark’s uncharacteristic mistakes, the first to force overtime and the second to give the Aces an 86-84 victory.
Las Vegas youth basketball coach gains national recognition
Of five finalists nationally, Jenn-Jenn Marshall is the only Jr. WNBA coach and female nominated for the Community Coach of the Year award.
Las Vegas youth basketball coach gains national recognition
Jenn-Jenn Marshall led an Aces Academy camp at the team's headquarters in Henderson on Wednesday, but she took the court as more than just a coach. Marshall is one of only five youth coaches nationally who are nominated for the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Community Coach of the Year award.
