SAN FRANCISCO — Tiffany Hayes scored a season-high 22 points off the bench, and the Golden State Valkyries overcame a slow start to beat the Chicago Sky 91-71 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight win and 14th in 16 games.
Kaila Charles added 15 points and five rebounds off the bench, Veronica Burton had 13 points and six rebounds and Gabby Williams scored 13 for the Valkyries (24-9), who could clinch a playoff berth by week’s end after becoming the first expansion team to reach the postseason in its inaugural year in 2025.
Hayes, who had six rebounds and five assists, also made three of her team’s franchise-record 16 steals.
The Valkyries were without starting center Kiah Stokes as she goes through the concussion protocol and also top reserve Janelle Salaun because of soreness in her right knee.
Kamilla Cardoso scored 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting as the Sky lost for the fourth time in five games.
Courtney Vandersloot made her first three shots as the Sky jumped to a quick lead, but they couldn’t keep up after halftime and she didn’t score again and finished with six points. Rachel Banham contributed 11 points and four rebounds off the bench.
DiJonai Carrington went 1-for-9 for three points in her second road game since being ejected with a Flagrant 2 for a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham during a 90-86 home loss to the Indiana Fever on Saturday, then afterward posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media and tagged the Fever.
Carrington later said she never claimed that the Flagrant 2 foul was the result of white privilege. She is Black and Cunningham is white.
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The Sky visit the Seattle Storm on Sunday before returning to Chicago for a three-game homestand.