Kiah Stokes Just Set a Valkyries Franchise Record Seven Blocks Golden State Wins 78-75

WNBA

Jun 26

35 straight sellouts. 18,064 fans at Ballhalla on Friday night. And Kiah Stokes turned in one of the most dominant defensive performances you will see all season.

The Golden State Valkyries held off the Atlanta Dream 78-75 in a game that featured 14 lead changes and 15 ties basically a back and forth battle from start to finish. But the story of this game belongs to Kiah Stokes.

Seven blocks. A Valkyries franchise record.

Stokes set a new season high and a new franchise record with seven blocks. Seven. That also ties for the most blocks recorded by any player in the WNBA this season. She added a season high 13 points on 5 for 7 shooting from the field. That is one of the most complete two-way performances you will see from a center all year.

Coach Natalie Nakase couldn't have been more proud talking about it after the game. "It's just Kiah's hard work. She's been working extremely hard, putting in extra work, watching extra film with Kasib. I think Kasib has been doing a phenomenal job. They have this relationship that's almost like a brother-sister relationship of how Kiah likes being straightforward, blunt, and Kasib is just that. I give a lot of credit to the relationship that they built you can see the confidence that she's playing with. Seven blocks and 13 points, that's unreal, but we needed it tonight too, because we knew they were gonna go to the paint. So I'm very happy, very proud of Kiah."

That's a coach who knows exactly what went into that performance and gave credit where it was due. Kiah Stokes protected the rim all night and it was the difference in a four point game.

Gabby Williams took over in the fourth

16 points, and 13 of them came in the fourth quarter alone. When this game was on the line, Williams was the one making plays for Golden State. This was her ninth straight game in double figures she has been remarkably consistent all season and she showed exactly why she's one of the best two way wings in this league when the moment called for it.

The supporting cast all showed up

Kaitlyn Chen added 13 points on 55.6 percent shooting. Tiffany Hayes scored 12 and handed out a season-high five assists. Veronica Burton had 10 points and a season-high four steals her defensive activity was all over the stat sheet tonight. Janelle Salaün tied her season high with seven rebounds and scored eight points. Five players in double figures for Golden State and that has now happened four times this season, with the Valkyries winning every single one of those games. 4-0. That tells you everything about how dangerous this team is when the offense is balanced.

The defense held Atlanta to ice cold shooting from deep

This is the stat that really stands out Golden State held the Dream to just 30 percent from three tonight, and across their two meetings this season Atlanta is shooting a combined 26.3 percent from beyond the arc against this Valkyries defense. That is not a coincidence. Natalie Nakase has built a defense that takes away the three point line and forces teams to win in the paint against Kiah Stokes protecting the rim. Good luck with that.

My take

35 straight sellouts. A franchise record for blocks in a single game. Five players in double figures for the fourth time this season a perfect 4-0 in those games. The Golden State Valkyries are building something real in year two and Kiah Stokes might be the most improved piece on this entire roster right now.

Her Game Network covers the Valkyries all season and a performance like Stokes' tonight deserves every bit of attention it's getting.

The Valkyries host the New York Liberty this Sunday, June 28, at 4pm exclusively on ESPN, 95.7 The Game, the Audacy App, and ESPN 1320. After tonight, I would not want to be the team walking into Ballhalla next.