Valkyries rout Mercury in home opener behind huge second quarter

Chase Center felt less like a basketball arena and more like a citywide launch party on Sunday night, as the Golden State Valkyries opened their home schedule by rolling past the Phoenix Mercury 95-79 before a sold-out crowd in San Francisco. The expansion team’s first regular-season home game delivered the kind of noise and buy-in that can turn a new franchise into a summer fixture, and the Valkyries answered with their sharpest stretch yet.

Golden State took control in the second quarter, outscoring Phoenix 31-11 to flip the game and build the cushion that carried the Valkyries to 2-0. Five players finished in double figures, a balanced attack that reflected how quickly the roster has settled in around coach Natalie Nakase’s system. Janelle Salaün led the way with 21 points off the bench, Gabby Williams scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds in her home debut, and Kayla Thornton also added 19. Veronica Burton supplied 13 points and 12 assists, while Laeticia Amihere turned in one of the most complete lines of the night with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, three blocks and a game-best plus-33.

Williams’ arrival gave the building another focal point. Signed last month, the All-Star forward fit quickly into a lineup that already knows how to feed off pace, pressure and transition defense. Her steals and a late block on Kahleah Copper were part of a defensive effort that helped Chase Center keep rising in volume as the Mercury searched for answers. For a franchise that became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season, the night reinforced how fast the Valkyries are becoming part of San Francisco’s sports identity.

Phoenix arrived with some momentum after beating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces the day before, which made the Valkyries’ response even more striking. Nakase said the group knew it had to be ready for what the Mercury would bring, and Golden State met that challenge with pace, depth and a second-quarter burst that changed the game in a hurry. With the Ballhalla atmosphere back in San Francisco and the home crowd already invested, the Valkyries left little doubt that Chase Center has another team capable of owning the summer.