Golden State Valkyries set franchise record for bench points in win
· Yahoo Sports
The Golden State Valkyries responded to back-to-back losses with consecutive wins, their latest coming Wednesday night against the Connecticut Sun, 89-64.
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The Valkyries' losses to the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx really tested the team – one a loss to a marquee team in Minnesota, which boasts the best-record in the league, then losing on a game-winning, step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer to the Sky.
Golden State responded to those tough losses with some get back against the Lynx, returning the "L" back to them and getting its first win against Minnesota in the franchise's short, two-year history.
The Valkyries capitalized on that momentum with Wednesday night's rout against the Sun, with the Valkyries (27-11) scoring a franchise-record 54 bench points.
"We have had some slow starts in the past few games, and given the team energy, so we wanted to make sure that we punch first today, and then continue punching all four quarters, so that was an emphasis, to really set the tone and dictate and not react," Kaila Charles told reporters after the game.
Charles provided Golden State with an energetic effort with 14 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.
Golden State has already clinched a postseason berth. With weeks remaining in the WNBA regular season, the Valkyries are simply tuning their engines, perfecting their team and addressing their flaws as they look to make a deep run in the playoffs.
"I think we just continue to buy into the program. They've done a great job of bringing in great players that love to work, love to play, very selfless, and so we don't necessarily pay attention to the rankings and all that stuff. We just pay attention on things that we can control, and that's playing hard," Charles said.
"Defense is our identity, so making sure that we're doing the things that we can control, and then just playing together. And I think that's been showing this season and how much love we have for each other. We have a lot of fun, and so it's showing. And we want to continue," she added. "The rankings don't matter, the playoffs do. So we want to continue to build and make a really deep run and go for championship."
Janelle Salaun scored a team-high 15 points off the bench in 18 minutes, knocking down 4 of 6 3-point field goals. Salaun echoed Charles in speaking about the important role of the next unit and how it's coming together.
"I think we're working well as a second unit. I think we know each other pretty well, and I think it's something that, that's our our strength," Salaun told reporters. "We just know how to play together, and like she said, we're selfless players, and I think that's what (is) working for us."
Players temporarily leaving team for FIBA World Cup
The Valkyries are on the first night of a back-to-back and will travel to New York to play the Liberty (23-15) on Prime Video on Aug. 27.
Salaun, Gabby Williams and Cecilia Zandalasini will then miss the Aug. 30 game against the Portland Fire due to their commitments to represent their countries in the FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin.
Zandalasini will play for Italy, while Salaun and Williams will join teammate Leila Lacan, who left Golden State on Aug. 24, to prepare to play with Team France.
Their brief hiatus allows opportunities. Head coach Natalie Nakase went deep into her bench to see what she had.
Kaitlyn Chen scored 10 points in 20 minutes against the Sun. Juste Jocyte played 14 minutes and had a couple of dazzling dimes while she controlled the offense. Ashten Prechtel and Laeticia Amihere combined for five blocks.
The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup begins on Sept. 4 and ends on Sept. 13.
The players will return shortly after to resume the remainder of the WNBA regular season, which ends on Sept. 24, with the postseason beginning on Sept. 27.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golden State Valkyries set franchise record for bench points in win