The Golden State Valkyries came home Monday night, and Ballhalla made sure they felt it. A sellout crowd of 18,064 packed Chase Center, and Gabby Williams gave them every reason to stay loud.
Williams led Golden State to a 97-70 demolition of the Connecticut Sun, finishing with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting with three 3-pointers. The Valkyries jumped out 17-11 in the first quarter and never looked back, building a 17-point halftime lead that ballooned to 29 in the third. Golden State improved to 4-2 on the season.
Williams was checked out with four minutes left in the third quarter. That was not a reflection of a tough night. That was the game already being over. In her postgame interview, Williams made clear how much the environment meant to her.
" I love Ballhalla. I'm excited. You wanted to come home. You wanted to play in front of these fans ," she said . " This has been amazing. I've never smiled so much while playing basketball. My family's here. Coach Fonz is here. Just really happy. "
That joy was matched by a defensive performance that had a point to prove. After allowing Indiana to score 90 in their previous outing, Gabby Williams said the group took it personally.
" We really wanted to make sure our intensity was good on D ," she said. Connecticut shot 38.6% and turned the ball over 18 times, which Golden State converted into 24 points. Kaila Charles added 12 points and seven rebounds. Veronica Burton contributed 11 points and six assists. Seven different Valkyries scored at least nine points.
Golden State matched a WNBA record with 12 scorers in a single game, and head coach Natalie Nakase summed up the night simply. " Whoever scored, whoever made a basket, whoever got a rebound or a block — we were celebrating each other ," she said.
The night carried extra weight beyond the scoreboard. Cecilia Zandalasini returned from a four-game concussion absence and knocked down a 3-pointer that drew a roar from the Ballhalla faithful. She finished with six points in 14 minutes. The Valkyries got their rotation back.
Then came the moment the crowd had been waiting for. With 4:48 left in the fourth quarter, rookie Juste Jocyte checked in for her WNBA debut. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft, 405 days removed from being selected, curled around a screen off a baseline inbound play and buried a 12-footer. Then she hit a 3. Five points and two assists in under five minutes, and the house came unglued.
" All the fans, they are so loud ," Jocyte said after the game. " I've been to New York and Indiana and the fans cannot compare to be honest. You don't have this in Europe. You don't have this in a lot of WNBA arenas. "
Williams had been talking Jocyte up for weeks. Watching it happen live only confirmed what she already knew.
" Watching her go out, bragging about her, telling everybody how good she's going to be when she gets here — her knocking down her first shot three seconds on the court ," Gabby Williams said. " Then comes and knocks down a 3. Then you see her court vision. This is just a glimpse of what she's capable of. "
The Valkyries now have a four-game homestand ahead, starting with the Indiana Fever on Thursday. Caitlin Clark and the Fever currently sit right behind the Dream in the WNBA standings, which makes Thursday's matchup at Chase Center more than a home date on the calendar. For a Golden State team that let Indiana put up 90 in their last meeting, there is unfinished business.
