A defensive quarter that settled it
Golden State came out of the FIBA Women’s World Cup break missing Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaun and Cecilia Zandalasini, three of their top five scorers, all rested after long tournaments in Germany. The Valkyries beat the Portland Fire 82-66 overnight anyway, and the way they did it has been their signature all season.
Portland actually led by one after the opening quarter. Emily Engstler, Megan DiLeo and Holly Winterburn each hit from three, and the Fire put up 20 points in ten minutes. Then the second quarter arrived and Golden State shut the door. Portland managed three field goals and ten points in the period, and did not score from the floor until close to the midpoint. The Valkyries led 40-30 at the break.
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Chen and Amihere off the bench
The reserves carried the scoring. Kaitlyn Chen buried a career-best five three-pointers on her way to 17 points, and Laeticia Amihere matched her with a career-high 17 of her own. Kayla Thornton and Tiffany Hayes added 13 apiece, Hayes also handing out a game-high seven assists. Kiah Stokes pulled down nine rebounds and Veronica Burton took six steals.
Portland stayed within 52-46 in the third before Golden State closed the quarter on a 15-3 run, with Chen and Amihere both landing threes in the stretch. Frieda Buhner led the Fire with 14 points. Carla Leite, back after sitting out Thursday’s home loss to Phoenix, added 12 and a team-high six assists, and Nyadiew Puoch contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
One game behind with three to play
The Fire shot 36.1 percent from the floor and 27.6 percent from three, and their 66 points matched the lowest total they have managed this year, a figure they also hit against the Atlanta Dream back in May. Playing a second game in two nights since the break did not help.
Golden State move to 30-11 and sit one game behind the Minnesota Lynx at 31-10 with three games left on the schedule. For a team that spent its first season being written off as an expansion project, arriving at the final week of the regular season in a live race for the best record in the league is a different conversation entirely. Portland drop to 16-26.
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