Valkyries set – Kayla Thornton led the Golden State Valkyries with 19 points and eight rebounds as the team set a franchise record by hitting 18 three-pointers in a 95-77 Commissioner’s Cup win over the Portland Fire on Tuesday night.
SAN FRANCISCO — Kayla Thornton didn’t just light up the scoreboard. She blitzed early, knocking down five three-pointers and finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds as the Golden State Valkyries surged ahead and kept control through the final buzzer.
The result was a 95-77 win for the Valkyries in a Commissioner’s Cup game on Tuesday night, ending any hope of a Portland comeback late. Thornton shot 6 for 13 overall, made 4 of her first 7 threes, and helped Golden State set a franchise record with 18 three-pointers.
Golden State’s pace came fast and stayed hot. The Valkyries made 52.2 per cent of their shots from deep in the first half and led 56-36 at the break. Janelle Salaun, coming off the bench, added 18 points, going 6 for 10 from the floor with three triples of her own. Veronica Burton scored 10 points and dished out nine assists in nearly 23 minutes. even after she entered the game questionable with a bruised right quadriceps muscle she injured in Sunday’s 91-81 loss to defending WNBA champion Las Vegas.
Portland’s biggest answers weren’t enough. Megan Gustafson finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for the Fire, who had won four of their previous five games and slipped to 2-2 on the road.
The early rhythm set the story. Both teams started 10 for 20 from the field, but the Valkyries went 7 of 13 from three to build a 33-25 lead. The gap didn’t come entirely from one run, but from sustained shooting that made it difficult for Portland to reset.
Portland did get a momentum moment in the second quarter when Bridget Carleton was whistled for a Flagrant 1 foul with 3:26 left on Cecilia Zandalasini’s 3-pointer. That play became a four-point play and offered the Fire a brief jolt as the game tilted back toward them—before Golden State regained distance again.
For the Fire, Carla Leite had 10 points and seven assists, playing with her latest expansion franchise after spending last season with first-year organization Golden State.
The teams now turn quickly to what’s next. Portland returns home to host Phoenix on Friday night, while Golden State visits Minnesota on Thursday night to begin a two-game trip that ends in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Golden State Valkyries Portland Fire Kayla Thornton Janelle Salaun Veronica Burton Megan Gustafson Commissioner's Cup WNBA 18 threes franchise record