“Star Wars” creator George Lucas was spotted at Game 3 of the WNBA playoff series between the Golden State Valkyries and the Dallas Wings at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday night.
It was such a rare treat to see the legendary filmmaker in public that it caught the attention of the Valyries’ Gabby Williams, who led the furious comeback against the Wings to advance to the WNBA semifinals.
Pretty cool indeed, especially considering the epic ending of the game.
Williams scored 19 points and hit a go-ahead 17-footer with 1:17 remaining, and the Valkyries won a late replay review to finish a rally from 16 points down and beat the Wings 77-73.
With 13.1 seconds left and Golden State leading by one, Williams jumped back inbounds to corral her own miss on a play that was originally ruled Dallas’ ball, but Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase — who moments earlier had fallen to her knees on the sideline before being helped up — successfully challenged the call. Nakase walked off the court escorted by a member of her staff after the final buzzer, holding her face as the team celebrated at midcourt.
The second-seeded Valkyries won a playoff series for the first time. Last year, they became the first expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season.
Game 1 is Sunday at rocking Ballhalla with the team’s deafening, violet-crazed home crowd at Chase Center.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.