Sparks, Kelsey Plum spoil Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA debut in win

SAN FRANCISCO — Kelsey Plum scored 26 of her 37 points in the second half and the Sparks spoiled the first game in Golden State Valkyries history with an 84-67 victory Friday night.

Even the loss couldn’t dampen the excitement from the sellout crowd of 18,064 at the arena that has been transformed into Valkyries’ purple rather than the typical court for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

The Valkyries are the WNBA’s first expansion franchise since 2008 and bring professional women’s basketball to the Bay Area.

Dearica Hamby added 14 points and Rickea Jackson scored 13 for the Sparks, who won in their first game under new coach Lynne Roberts.

Kayla Thornton scored the first basket in Valkyries history on the team’s first possession and there were quickly chants of “G-S-V! G-S-V!”

Tiffany Hayes scored 19 points to lead Golden State, Temi Fagbenle added 15 and Julie Vanloo scored 14.

After winning two titles in her final three seasons in Las Vegas, Plum was traded in the offseason to Los Angeles in a three-team deal that also included Seattle.

She made an impressive debut with her new team with the second-highest scoring game of her career, taking over on the offensive end in the third quarter as Los Angeles built its lead to 15 points.

But three straight 3-pointers from Vanloo cut the deficit back to six points and brought some of the biggest cheers to the crowd as the Valkyries kept it close into the fourth quarter.

Sparks guard Rae Burrell had to be carried off the court late in the first quarter after she injured herself when fouling Carla Leite on a 3-point attempt. Burrell was down for a few minutes with an injury to her right leg.

Up next

The Sparks host Minnesota on Sunday in its home opener.