Thornton's 22 Points Propel Valkyries to Victory Over Storm

Kayla Thornton dominated the court with 22 points and 12 rebounds, leading the Golden State Valkyries to a 76-70 victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday. Temi Fagbenie contributed significantly with 16 points, while Carla Leite added 14 points to the Valkyries' total.

For the Storm, Skylar Diggins was the standout scorer with 21 points, supported by Alysha Clark's 11 points and Ezi Magbegor's 10 points. Despite their efforts, Seattle fell short in the tightly contested matchup.

Leite ignited the scoring for Golden State, breaking a 13-all tie with a layup at 2:18 in the first quarter. From that moment, the Valkyries maintained control, finishing the first quarter ahead 21-15. A pivotal basket from Leite extended their lead to 25-15 early in the second quarter, marking their first double-digit advantage.

By halftime, Golden State had established a solid 44-31 lead. The momentum continued into the third quarter, where a layup from Leite pushed the score to 56-36. The Valkyries ended the third period with a comfortable 64-51 lead.

However, Seattle mounted a comeback, launching an 11-2 run that narrowed the gap to 67-62 after a basket from Diggins. With just 44.1 seconds remaining, Diggins completed a three-point play, bringing the Storm within four points at 74-70. Unfortunately for Seattle, they could not capitalize further.

Thornton sealed the game for Golden State by sinking two free throws with only 13.1 seconds left on the clock, ensuring a hard-fought victory for the Valkyries.