Golden State just snagged their first-ever WNBA championship, and you know who clinched it? Gabby Williams, who went from a quiet two points at halftime to dropping a record-setting 28 in the second half of Game 7 against the Atlanta Dream. Talk about stepping up when it mattered most.
The Third Quarter Exploded for Golden State
At halftime, things looked rough. The Valkyries were down by 6, struggling offensively, and Williams had only two points to her name. But something clicked in that third quarter. Williams went absolutely off, pouring in three consecutive triples and racking up 15 points in that period alone. The team had been down by as many as 9 points earlier in the quarter, but Williams caught fire, scoring 11 points in a two-minute span to flip the script and give Golden State a 1-point lead heading into the final frame. The owner, Joe Lacob, called her the best player in the world back in the first round of the playoffs, and she sure as heck looked like it when it counted. “Man, I don’t know,” Williams said in her walkoff interview. “I love moments like this. Nat told me to be patient in the first half , it was hard, but I listened, and she was right as always.”
Williams’ Finals Performance Was Legendary
Williams didn’t just have a good quarter, she had a legendary second half, finishing the night with a massive 30 points, 4 blocks, 2 steals, and 2 assists. Her 28 points in a single Finals half set a new record, blowing past Angel McCoughtry’s previous mark of 27. We all knew she was elevating her game in the postseason, averaging 20.3 points and 3.4 assists per game going into Game 7, up from her regular season averages of 14.4 points and 2.2 assists. She had already put up 26 points in both Games 1 and 6 of the Finals, but she truly saved her absolute best for when it mattered most. And let’s not forget the hustle from the rest of the squad: Tiffany Hayes chipped in 11 points, Veronica Burton had a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and a block, and Kiah Stokes pulled down 13 rebounds with 8 points and 2 blocks.
Culture Built on “Good People” Delivers a Championship
This Valkyries team wasn’t just about one player, even if Williams had an all-time performance. It was about grit, heart, and what Williams described as a “beautiful culture.” She said it perfectly, “All it took was good people. That’s it. All we heard last year was, we don’t have no stars, we don’t have no talent , yeah, right. We got good people, we got winners, we got people who are willing to put their body on the floor to win a game. They don’t care about scoring , they just want to play defense, and rebound, and do what it takes.” This team, this culture, and this clutch performance from Williams just delivered Golden State their first WNBA title. They proved everyone wrong, didn’t they? What a way to crown champions.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply