A’ja Wilson scored 34 points, Jackie Young added 30, including her team’s final 10 points and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday, 104-102.
The score was tied at 94 with 1:49 remaining before Young scored on the next five possessions for Las Vegas. She hit a mid-range pullup jumper for a two-point lead and made a driving layup to make it 98-94. She made two free throws on each of the Aces’ next three possessions to seal the win.
While Young was in control on the Aces’ offensive end, the Valkyries kept it close with a 3-pointer by Cecilia Zandalasini with 17 seconds left and another by Tiffany Hayes with 7 seconds left, making it 102-100.
Young’s final pair of free throws made it 104-100 and the Valkyries’ Kayla Thornton made a long two-pointer for the final score.
Young, an 89% free-throw shooter coming in, was 11-for-11 from the line. The Aces made 30 of 35 as a team.
Wilson, who injured her wrist earlier in the week, returned to the lineup and made 12 of 16 shots to go with 9 of 12 free throws. She added 16 rebounds. Jewell Loyd scored 15 points.
All five Golden State starters scored in double figures, led by Hayes and Janelle Salaun with 16 points each. Temi Fágbénlé scored 13, Veronica Burton 11 and Thornton 10. Zandalasini scored 12 off the bench.
It was the expansion Valkyries’ first trip to Las Vegas. Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase was an Aces assistant in their championship seasons of 2022 and 2023.
The Valkyries (10-10) had won five of eight coming in. The Aces (10-11) had lost three of their last four.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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