San Francisco – Despite the loss of an unbalanced season opening against the sparks of Los Angeles, the crowd of Chase Center gave the Valkyries expansion a round of applause while they left the ground.
Golden State showed his fight while the Valkyries returned from a 15 -point deficit in the third quarter. But during their very first match, the Valkyries was cold in the fourth quarter when they fell 84-67 in front of a closed windows of 18,064 at the Chase Center.
However, the Valkyries gave a tone that they hope to continue for the rest of the season.
“With the type of environment we had, I would take this every time, every time? Yes, 100%,” said Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase. “But for many of them, this is the first time to start, the first time in heavy minutes. … We are going to clean it, we will take a look. But I know there is a lot of room for improvement and their efforts were there.”
Here are five points to remember from the game:
The turnover moved the game
The Sparks took advantage of the Valkyries sloppy game throughout Friday’s match.
Golden State spilled the ball more than 21 times, which resulted in 25 points from the.
Despite the removal of the Valkyries in the game, the three reversals of Julie Vanloo in the fourth quarter proved to be expensive for the Valkyries while they were trying to run in the last period. Vanloo ended the evening with a funding at the top of the team while depositing two assists.
“I will think of the six reversals I have made because I am a leader,” said Vanloo. “I can’t have six reversals and I know what to work on.”
The nine players who checked the game for the Valkyries had at least a turnover. Tiffany Hayes (4), Carla Leite (3) and Monique Billings (2) have also experienced several reversals.
Fagbenle shows the range
Before Friday’s match, TEMI Fagbenle had only made three 3 points in his four -year WNBA career. But in her first game with the Valkyries, Fagbenle has already shown that she could be a 5 stretch in Nakase’s offensive.
The 6-inch 6-inch center center went 2 for 4 deeply and struck a plethora of mid-range shots to keep the sparks honest in the first half.
“She draws all these three (in practice) that she knows she will get,” said Nakase. “Many of 5s will stop. They are simply not used to keeping a 5 that has come out and stretched on the ground, so you just have to be wary of your hard work.”
Vanloo’s wave ignites the crowd
The Sparks apparently had the match in total control in the third quarter when they kept a 15 -point lead with three minutes to play in the period.
But it was Vanloo who brought the Valkyries all the way to make things competitive in the fourth quarter. In one minute, Vanloo overturned three consecutive three 3, the last of which was a step back with a defender in his face, to bring Golden State to less than six in the fourth quarter.
The crowd nourished the buckets of Vanloo, exploding with cheers while each blow passed through the bottom of the net.
With Steve Kerr in progress, the leader of the jokingly jokingly veteran in the coach of the Golden State Warriors that she could replace Stephen Curry.
“As I saw Steve Kerr, I’m just excited,” said Vanloo. “I said” okay, let me show him something. “”
Vanloo came out of the bench to score 14 points. Nakase said she loved Vanloo’s intrepidity during this moment.
“You are going to have passion and the fans will get this type of action in the first hand,” said Nakase. “I want her to be herself.”
Defense of the area worked
In the second quarter, the Valkyries used a 2-3 high pressure zone which seemed to disturb the sparks.
Golden State used tactics only for a handful of goods, but the strategy has led to forced turnover and no point marked by.
“In fact, we did not even practically practiced the area, so it was a positive that I took,” said Nakase. “You always want to keep the teams away from the rhythm. … I just wanted to try it and see how it worked and it worked.”
Home traffic advantage
Although this is just the first game of the season, the advantage of Chase Center was in force.
The closed window crowd kept the energy overnight, even when the game walked away for the Valkyries.
“I had a lot of fun and I appreciated the energy of the crowd,” said Hayes.
The Valkyries did everything to pay tribute to the Bay region in their very first match.
The artist of Oakland R&B Goapele sang the national anthem. The legendary rapper of Vallejo E-40 played some of his greatest successes during the show at halftime. And the players of Golden State Warriors Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski were present.
“It was noisy,” said Nakase. “This is exactly what I wanted. If I had been able to dream of an environment, the hostility of it, roars, cries, cries …. This crowd, they will support us despite everything. So, yes, I need to have this type of crowd. It’s just, surreal.”
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
