Gabby Williams leads Valkyries to first WNBA title with Game 7 win

The Golden State Valkyries won their first WNBA championship on Saturday, October 31, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 at Chase Center. Gabby Williams led the team with 30 points and four blocks, according to the Valkyries' official match report, completing a title-winning second season for the franchise.

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Golden State's early defensive pressure did not produce a comfortable route to the trophy. The team reported that Atlanta missed its first six shots from the field, while the Valkyries recorded five first-quarter blocks. The Dream recovered to establish a six-point half-time lead, before Williams scored 15 points in the third quarter to bring Golden State back into contention.

The Associated Press reported that Rhyne Howard tied the game at 57 with 2:41 remaining, only for Williams to answer with a three-pointer. Veronica Burton later secured the ball following a jump ball and made two free throws with 5.1 seconds left. Jordin Canada finished with 18 points for Atlanta, while Allisha Gray added 16.

Kiah Stokes also made a substantial contribution for Golden State. The club's recap credited her with 13 rebounds and two blocks in the deciding game, taking her series total to 19 blocks. It also recorded a 53rd successive sell-out, continuing a run covering every regular-season and playoff home game in franchise history.

The Valkyries' official postseason results show how often the finals changed direction. Golden State won the opener 68-64 but lost the next two games. Victories in Games 4 and 5 restored its series lead before Atlanta forced the decider with an 80-69 win in Game 6. The championship followed a 2-1 first-round victory over Dallas and a three-game semifinal sweep of Las Vegas.

Golden State finished the regular season 32-12 and entered the playoffs as the second seed, according to the team's championship page. The club and the City of San Francisco have announced a celebration parade for Wednesday, November 4, from noon to 2 p.m. Its route will follow The Embarcadero from the Ferry Building near Mission Street to King and 2nd Street.