GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES BEAT ATLANTA DREAM IN WNBA FINALS GAME FOUR

The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 67-62 on Saturday, levelling the WNBA finals at 2-2. Match figures credit Gabby Williams with a team-high 17 points for Golden State and Rhyne Howard with 19 for Atlanta. Angel Reese scored eight points and took nine rebounds after recording double-doubles in each of the first three games. “I think I rushed a lot of my shots and I didn’t take my time and finish around the basket like I’ve been doing in the last 3 games,” Reese said after the game.

Golden State led by 16 points at half-time before Atlanta cut the gap to 61-55 midway through the fourth quarter. Veronica Burton answered with a three-pointer, but a three-point play by Howard brought the Dream within four points with 28 seconds left. Burton made one of two free throws on Golden State’s next possession, and Atlanta failed to score at the other end. The match figures show Reese made two of 12 shots and committed six turnovers, while the Dream made four of 23 attempts from three-point range. Jordin Canada and Isobel Borlase added 10 points each for Atlanta.

Kiah Stokes blocked three shots and collected 16 rebounds, including eight on offence. Her 14 blocks across the four games set a WNBA finals record, passing the previous mark of 12 held by Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles. Golden State coach Natalie Nakase started Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles in place of Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini. The best-of-seven series returns to California for Game 5 on Monday. Reese said the Dream needed to “stand together” before the next game.