Gabby Williams scored 19 points and hit a go-ahead 17-footer with 1:17 remaining on Friday night, lifting the Golden State Valkyries to a 77-73 victory over the Dallas Wings in Game 3 of their first-round WNBA playoff series. The win completed a rally from a 16-point deficit in a wild deciding game in San Francisco, sending the expansion franchise to the semi-finals against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Williams and Burton Fuel Second Half Surge
Williams scored all but two of her 19 points after halftime, while Veronica Burton contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Burton’s layup with 8:19 to play trimmed the deficit to 61-59, and Williams followed with two late three-pointers to fuel the comeback. Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas with 30 points, shooting 11-for-21 following her playoff-record 45-point performance in an overtime win on Wednesday. Paige Bueckers added 17 points and six assists for the Wings, shooting 3-for-14 from the field and making all 10 of her free throws.
Nakase Wins Crucial Replay Review
With 13.1 seconds remaining and Golden State leading by one, Williams jumped back inbounds to secure her own missed shot on a play initially ruled Dallas ball. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase successfully challenged the call. Moments earlier, Nakase had fallen to her knees on the sideline before staff helped her up. She was escorted off the court holding her face after the final buzzer while players celebrated at midcourt. The team stated afterward that she was fine and expected to coach Sunday in Game 1 against Las Vegas, though assistant coach Kasib Powell handled postgame media duties.
Wings Control Early Play Before Collapse
Dallas seized control early in the third quarter as Golden State missed three consecutive three-pointers and nine shots in a row. A 9-0 run pushed the Wings to their largest lead of the night at 53-37. The Valkyries slowly chipped away, narrowing the gap to 59-54 heading into the final period before outscoring Dallas down the stretch to secure the series victory.
Golden State Valkyries Advance to Face Defending Champions
Who will the Golden State Valkyries play in the next round?
The Valkyries advanced to the best-of-five semi-finals to face the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
How many points did Arike Ogunbowale score in Game 3?
Arike Ogunbowale finished with 30 points for the Dallas Wings, following a 45-point performance in Game 2.
What was the final score of the series-deciding game?
The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Dallas Wings 77-73 on Friday night at Chase Center.
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