Carla Leite scored 19 points, her rookie companion Janelle Salaun had 18, and Kayla Thornton added 14 points and 10 rebounds to help Golden state valkyries beat Los Angeles Sparks 82-73
Los Angeles – Carla Leite scored 19 points, her rookie companion Janelle Salaun had 18, and Kayla Thornton added 14 points and 10 rebounds to help the Golden State Valkyries beat the Los Angeles Sparks 82-73 on Friday night.
Salaun grabbed eight rebounds and Leite made 7 of 10 from the field. Veronica Burton added 12 points and five robberies for the Valkyries (2-1).
Expansion Golden State, who beat Washington 76-74 on Wednesday, has won consecutive games for the first time in the history of the franchise.
Thornton made a float with 6:43 to play that gave Golden State an advantage of 73-58, but the Valkyries were not punctual for more than five minutes. Kelsey Plum connected a triple and Dearica Hamby scored the last five points in a 10-0 race before Thornton made three free throws with 1:33 remaining that did 76-68.
Hamby led Los Angeles (1-3) with 25 points, Plum scored 16 and Odyssey Sims had 13.
The Sparks have lost three games in a row since he beat Golden State 84-67 in the first game of the season.
Sims hit a triple that gave the Sparks a nine -point advantage with 2:11 remaining in the first period. His next 15 field goal attempts were lost and they committed six ball losses when Golden State made a 26-1 race that gave the Valkyries an advantage of 42-26 when Temi Fagbenle made a tray with 2:59 remaining until part time.
The Valkyries visit New York on Tuesday, and Sparks receives Chicago on Sunday.
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