SAN FRANCISCO — One of the most cliche phrases tossed around in sports is “defense wins championships.” However, when it comes to the Golden State Valkyries, its where their entire identity lies.
That identity was carried with them as they entered the WNBA semifinals against the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces. The Valkyries took Game 1 with a 71-60 statement win
on their home floor at Chase Center on Sunday, Oct. 4.The Valkyries defense held the Aces to a season-low 60 points in their Game 1 loss. The Valkyries have a 30-3 record this season when they hold an opponent to 80 points or less, including the postseason.
"We were really connected tonight," Valkyries forward Gabby Williams told reporters. "I felt like we were communicating. I felt we were showing
them bodies and then it came down to rebounding. KT (Kayla Thornton) and Kiah (Stokes) really won this game for us. (They) limited them to one possession and then gave us extra possessions."
The Valkyries outrebounded the Aces, 52-25, on Sunday, Oct. 4, which included 17 offensive rebounds for Golden State, creating 20 second-chance points. It was the kind of performance Golden State needed to prove that they're not just a second-year franchise happy to be contending.
The Valkyries won their first playoff series in franchise history eliminating the Dallas Wings in a 77-73 victory, in the first round of the 2026 WNBA playoffs.
“We knew that it was the last 10 minutes of the game, backs against the wall," Tiffany Hayes told USA TODAY Sports following their series win against the Wings. "We gonna scratch and claw and do whatever we need to do, and really lock into our schemes. And I think that's really what we did."
Gabby Williams gets it done
Offense isn't what the Valkyries hang their hats on, but they needed it from their go-to player Gabby Williams. She dropped a double-double in Game 1 against the Aces with 25 points, 11 rebounds and adding five assists.
When Williams is aggressive, looking for her shot and hitting, the Valkyries are a tough team to beat.
In Game 3 against the Wings, she was cold to start, scoring two points in the first half and Golden State trailed at halftime, 44-37. However, a 17-point second half including coming up big in the clutch, helped Williams pace the team and lead their comeback. She finished with 19 points and adding two steals.
"Big shot Gabby. She's our dog. She's our leader," Hayes said. "She's the one we go to, and she showed you exactly why she is who she is. So we'll do it again and again, over and over. We believe in her, and Gabby (expletive) Williams. What you talking about?"
Williams doesn't shy away from the big-moments. Instead, she welcomes it and rises to occasion.
"I love these situations. I love I love high pressure situations," Williams said after their Game 3 against Dallas. "I think I'm best when like when I don't have a choice, but to be my best. So I like being put into that position."
Defense, homecourt make the difference
The Valkyries' defense has been the fuel this season. Nakase has had a clear message — the best offense is their defense, which ranked No. 1 in the league during the regular season.
They held opponents to a league-low 74.8 points per game, including 31.0 points in the paint. The Valkyries allowed 11.8 points off turnovers, which was a league best. Golden State held opponents to 70 points or less in 16 games, a WNBA record.
"We were absolutely on a string. We were absolutely communicating with each other. We were on the floor. We were helping each other," Hayes said. "And I just think a switch flipped, honestly, because I know it did for me in my head. Like this is it. It's literally win or go home. So we gotta do something.”
Ballhalla is known for its boisterous fanbase. There was a sea of violet that filled Chase Center as a sold out crowd of 18,064 were loud, raucous, passionate and energetic from pregame to postgame and every second in between.
The environment makes it one of the best homecourt advantages in the WNBA as it was hard to for players, coaches to communicate on the floor but it turned out to be a major advantage for Golden State.
"I loved it because it forced us to like talk louder and communicate more," Williams said about the noise-level in the arena following their win against Dallas. "And then, like when you're screaming more, then your energy's up and you're into it. So, yeah, we definitely owe Ballhalla a big thank you for tonight."
It's known around the league as one of the hardest, yet most fun places to compete due to its amped atmosphere and the support the Bay Area has for its Valkyries.
It's been their advantage all season long having gone 17-5 in Ballhalla, and now 3-0 during the postseason. That advantage has been awarded to them for the rest of the postseason, earning homecourt as the best remaining seed after the Minnesota Lynx were eliminated in the first round by the New York Liberty in a 2-0 sweep.
The Lynx were the last team to defeat the Valkyries at Ballhalla in their 77-66 win on August 19. Lynx star forward Napheesa Collier recognized how tough, yet special it is to play at Ballhalla.
"This is my favorite road team to play," Collier told USA TODAY after their Aug. 19 matchup. "The crowd is so fun. The environment has been like that every single time. You can't tell if you're up by 20 or down by 20. The crowd stays so engaged and so it's really fun to play in."
In 2025, their inaugural season, they advanced to the postseason as the No. 8 seed but were eliminated in the first round after being swept by the top-seeded Lynx.
The Valkyries' dream would be to bring a title home in the second season since being established as an expansion team in the WNBA.
“Being able to actually see the work that's being put in by not just us, but the staff as well," Hayes said. "Like they're working day in, day out, just like we are to get better, not only as individuals but as a team.
"Commend everybody down the line, top to bottom, bottom to top, on just our work ethic and wanting to work and wanting to win and wanting to get better as a team.”
The Aces-Valkyries series continues with Game 2 on Wednesday, Oct. 7 (9:30 p.m. ET, NBC) at Chase Center in San Francisco.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Built on defense, belief and Ballhalla, Valkyries keep dream alive
