Valkyries End Dream's Season with Historic Second-Year Title

Gabby Williams scored 30 points to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday night. The win secured the franchise's first WNBA championship in its second season of existence. Williams also claimed Finals MVP honors after producing one of the most dominant individual performances in recent Finals history.

The Valkyries entered the game with a 6-point deficit at halftime. Williams scored just two points in the first half, following instructions from head coach Natalie Nakase to remain patient. She shifted her approach after the break, scoring 15 points in the third quarter to help her team take a 45-44 lead into the final period.

With the score tied at 53, Williams scored nine consecutive points. The run broke the tie and established a lead that the Valkyries maintained until the final buzzer. Williams finished with 28 of her 30 total points coming in the last 20 minutes of play. Her output set a new record for the most points scored in a single half of a WNBA Finals game.

Williams, 30, is a former member of the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm. She joined the Valkyries after winning a college championship and playing overseas. In September, she represented France at the FIBA World Cup, where the team lost to Angel Reese and Team USA. Williams said she listened to her coach's advice early in the game before taking control of the offense later.

“I love moments like this,” Williams said. “[Coach] Natalie [Nakase] told me to be patient in the first half. I listened to her.”

For the Dream, Angel Reese recorded 12 rebounds but finished with only 8 points. The loss ended Atlanta's season despite strong performances from Reese during the series. Reese told reporters she was proud of the team's effort and vowed a return to the postseason final.

“I’m really proud of the year that I had,” Reese said. “I’ve done a lot of great things this year, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without this group. I love these girls. I love the coaches. I think it also sucks because our fan base back home poured into us so much this year, and we really wanted to do it for them. But we’re forever grateful, and like I said, we’ll be back.”