SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kaila Charles had 16 points, matched her career high with 12 rebounds and made four steals, Tiffany Hayes scored 10 points a night before her 37th birthday, and the Golden State Valkyries concluded their regular-season home schedule by beating the Seattle Storm 70-57 on Saturday night for a sixth straight win.
Rookie Juste Jocyte and Laeticia Amihere each added 11 points off the bench for the Valkyries (31-11), who are in second place behind Minnesota. The team said Jocyte sustained a left leg injury.
The Valkyries wrapped up a 17-5 home record with another sold-out crowd of 18,064, bringing the second-season attendance total to 397,408 — with a full house for every game at Chase Center over a second straight year.
It’s the only franchise in WNBA history to sell out every home game over its first two seasons.
Seattle (8-34), finishing up one of the worst seasons in team history, lost its third in a row and sixth of seven. Rookie Flau'jae Johnson had 17 points to lead the Storm.
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase again rested her stars who are just back from the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The Valkyries again were without star Gabby Williams and top reserve Janelle Salaun, both of whom played for the French team that lost to the U.S. 97-79 in the World Cup final on Sunday in Berlin. Nakase was an assistant for the U.S.
Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini also sat out again Saturday with an illness after she played for Italy in the World Cup.
Golden State missed six of its first seven 3-point tries and wound up 9 for 26 from long range. Kayla Thornton finished the game 0 of 6, including four 3s, but grabbed six rebounds.
Up next
Storm: Visit Las Vegas on Sunday to complete a road back-to-back.
Valkyries: Visit Portland on Tuesday night.
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press
