SAN FRANCISCO — One of the most remarkable comebacks in WNBA history sent the Golden State Valkyries to the semifinals.
With their season on the line, the Valkyries overcame a 16-point second-half deficit and authored a stunning 77-73 Game 3 comeback in front of a delirious Chase Center crowd on Friday night. Their first playoff series victory in franchise history secured a matchup with the third-seeded Las Vegas Aces.
Game 1 is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Chase Center.
Even George Lucas, the famous “Star Wars” filmmaker who attended Friday’s game, couldn’t have scripted the finish. The game had absolutely everything, including Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase collapsing onto the court during a fourth-quarter timeout. Nakase finished coaching the game after being helped up by her assistant coaches but left the floor after the game ended alongside a team staffer.
Golden State Valkyries’ head coach Natalie Nakase gestures towards the referees during a playoff game against the Dallas Wings in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
“Throughout the whole game, we didn’t panic,” said assistant coach Kasib Powell, who filled in for Nakase during her postgame press conference. “Losing Game 2, we knew it was going to be a tough game, so we just wanted to execute on both ends of the floor.
“We knew what we needed to do to execute, so it was no need to panic. But we knew it was going to be a hard journey to get over (the hump and) beat them. So we’re just happy that we executed and stayed calm.”
Golden State’s stars pulled the team back from the brink. Veronica Burton scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out six assists. Gabby Williams scored 19 points, Kiah Stokes pulled down 13 rebounds and three blocks and Tiffany Hayes scored 18 off the bench.
“Just staying together,” Williams said of how the team came back. “We were just saying not to lose confidence, take it possession by possession. (Burton) hit a really big three, and once we all saw that go in, we could kind of like, ‘OK, we saw one go in.’ Now it’s our time to get going. And after that, it was just about getting stops.”
Golden State Valkyries’ Gabby Williams (1) makes a three-point shot against Dallas Wings’ Aziaha James (10) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Nakase went with a lineup of Burton, Williams, Hayes, Kaila Charles and Stokes for the vast majority of the fourth quarter. They survived another torrid shooting night from Dallas star Arike Ogunbowale, who followed up Wednesday’s record-setting 45-point masterclass with a 30-point effort on Friday. The Valkyries were also able to slow down Paige Bueckers in crunch time, holding her to just 3 of 14 shooting.
Williams’ 17-foot pullup with 1:17 remaining gave Golden State a 73-72 lead, then her four clutch free throws down the stretch sealed the game as the Valkyries’ defense limited Dallas down the stretch.
The Golden State Valkyries celebrate after winning against the Dallas Wings at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
“Big shot Gabby,” Hayes said after the game. “She’s our dog. She’s our leader. She’s the one we go to, and she showed you exactly why she is who she is. So we’ll do it again and again, over and over, and we believe in her. (She’s) Gabby (expletive) Williams. What are you talking about?”
The Valkyries faced their largest deficit after their offense abandoned them early in the third quarter, with Golden State failing to move the scoreboard until the 5:38 mark. The team missed 15 consecutive shots at one point.
They mounted a stirring comeback after that, cutting the deficit to three points late in the quarter on Williams’ 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining.
Dallas quickly pushed the deficit back to seven early in the fourth quarter. Golden State cut it to two on Burton’s layup with 8:19 remaining.
Golden State Valkyries’ Kaila Charles (6) and Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale (24) fight for the ball in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
The Valkyries tied the game 65-65 on Charles’ 3-pointer with 6:51 left.
Golden State retook the lead for the first time since the late second quarter when Veronica Burton’s fast-break layup dropped with 4:56 to play.
Dallas retook the lead on Ogunbowale’s second-chance 3-pointer, then extended it to three with two Ogunbowale free throws, then to five on Ogunbowale’s floater with 3:10 left.
Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers (5) takes a shot against Golden State Valkyries’ Tiffany Hayes (15) and Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton (22) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Charles stopped the bleeding with a quick putback after Kiah Stokes missed a point-blank layup with 2:16 left, then Williams’ short jumper ricocheted off the side of the rim and in to bring Golden State within 72-71 with 1:40 to play.
Williams’ go-ahead pullup hit bottom with 1:17 left. Then after Bueckers missed a 19-foot pullup with 55 seconds left and Ogunbowale missed a floater after a Jessica Shepard rebound, Williams came through clutch once again to seal the game at the free-throw line.
The sellout Chase Center crowd helped will the Valkyries back when all seemed lost in the second half. With the job finished, 18,064 fans could finally, collectively, exhale.
The release came out an ear-splitting shout that nearly derailed Williams’ postgame interview on the floor. But after what they just saw, the fans in San Francisco no longer had the right to remain silent.
Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton (22) celebrates as the Golden State Valkyries win against the Dallas Wings at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
“When you’re screaming more, then your energy’s up and you’re into it,” Williams said. “We definitely owe Ballhalla a big thank you for tonight.”
Staff writer Joseph Dycus contributed to this report.
The Golden State Valkyries celebrate after winning against the Dallas Wings at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
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