Janelle Salaün tied career-highs in points (22) and made 3-pointers (5) in the Golden State Valkyries' 76-72 victory over the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday. The Valkyries led by as many as 15 points, but Seattle stormed back, pulling to within a point with 13.4 seconds left. However, Golden State made timely free throws and got a clutch block from Kiah Stokes to seal the game. Stokes swatted away Natisha Hiedeman's game-tying 3-point attempt to help the Valkyries overcome shooting just 1-for-16 from the field in the fourth quarter. 

“Putting in Kiah [Stokes] I thought was really important, because she didn't get phased by their plays," Head Coach Natalie Nakase shared postgame. "When we say we rely on our defense, that's how we rely on our defense and we close with our defense. We’ve got to give Seattle credit, they were fighting. But so many positives that we can take away and a lot of learning lessons."

Gabby Williams and Tiffany Hayes joined Salaün as the only Valkyries to score in the fourth quarter, as Williams finished with 19 points against her former team and Hayes added 17 points, finishing a game-high plus-10 in 24 minutes.

SALAÜN HELPS VALKYRIES BREAK OUT OF EARLY SPELL
The Valkyries surrendered an early 15-2 run, which gave the Storm an 18-7 lead. Natisha Hiedeman scored eight of those 18 points for the Storm, making all three of her field-goal attempts, including two 3-pointers. Janelle Salaün ignited Golden State’s response with a four-point play during a 9-0 run. Salaün then hit a game-tying 3-pointer, giving her twice as many points (8) as minutes played in the quarter (4). Salaün knocked down a pair of step-back jumpers in the second quarter, including a go-ahead 13-footer just before halftime. She and Hiedeman were tied atop the score column for their respective teams at the half, each tallying 13 points in 14 minutes.

HAYES REACHES 5,000 CAREER POINTS
Less than a minute into the second quarter, Tiffany Hayes finished a three-point play, which brought her to 5,000 career points. Operating as a pick-and-roll ball handler, Hayes used her quick first step to glide into the paint and convert a scoop layup through contact. Hayes’ basket gave the Valkyries the lead and she followed it up with another scoop layup on the ensuing possession. She went a perfect 3-for-3 from the field in the quarter, leading the Valkyries with seven points in seven minutes. She recently passed Maya Moore for 31st on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list.

“I'm really proud of Tip [Tiffany Hayes], she hit 5,000 points, that's incredible," Nakase said postgame. "Coming from a player who maybe was about to walk away from the game and came back and she made two crucial free throws. Game on the line, I thought she stepped up with confidence — just proud of Tip."

SALAÜN AND HAYES EARN 2ND HALF START
Head Coach Natalie Nakase made a lineup change for the second half, deciding to ride with the hot hands of Janelle Salaün and Tiffany Hayes. Salaün and Hayes combined for all 20 of Golden State’s first-half bench points and were inserted into the starting group for the second half, replacing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini. Salaün and Hayes scored the Valkyries’ first two baskets of the third quarter and combined for 11 of their 26 points as they outscored the Storm by 11 points in the frame (26-15). 

SALAÜN 9TH-FASTEST WNBA PLAYER TO 100 CAREER THREES
The Valkyries opened the fourth quarter in a scoring drought, going scoreless for over half of the frame. The Valkyries started the quarter by missing their first eight field goal attempts, six of which were 3-pointers. Janelle Salaün ended the drought by draining a tightly-contested 3-pointer, the 100th triple of her career. Salaün is the ninth-fastest player in WNBA history to reach 100 career threes, doing so in just 49 games. Her five 3-pointers on Friday tied a career-high mark, which she reached against the Storm in the season opener. She made the Valkyries' only field goal of the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT
The Valkyries begin a three-game home stand when they host Kelsey Plum and the Los Angeles Sparks at Chase Center on Monday. The Sparks have many familiar faces, including former Valkyrie Kate Martin and Stanford alum Cameron Brink. 

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