Game 15 wrap: Valkyries pull away late to put away Chicago Sky; Thornton career-high 29; Chen and Martin in double digits and close game
GSV overcome tough CHI play, Reese’s 17-18 game, Nurse’s flamethrowing 5 threes
Apricot In-Game Notes
Wild Eurobasket
Painful day at EuroBasket for Salaun and Rupert… oh well, hope they channel the pain into productive Valkyries minutes
Brutal finish for France after an intentionally missed free throw, offensive board and additional foul gave Rupert the chance to tie it at the death. Hit the first FT, missed the second, and Spain cling on 65-64. France have still somehow not won this tournament since 2009.
Via wrote:
[[ Honestly, today wasn’t Iliana and Janelle’s game. Spain came in with heavy defense and played both of their bigs, Awa Fam and Raquel Carrera, which made things insanely tough inside the paint. If the Valkyries can stay in the middle of the pack this season, Awa Fam could be a really solid draft prospect to keep an eye on. Honestly I would even rate her over Betts out of all the centers😬]]
[[ Another barnburner of a semi at #EuroBasketWomen. Belgium were up by as many as 14 late in Q3, Italy came all the way back to take the lead, and we're tied at 60-60 with under 3 minutes left. Belgium have gone ice cold in the 4th.
Belgium cling on by the skin of their teeth to win 66-64, with a huge 3 from Antonia Delaere making the difference after two Meesseman turnovers looked like they could be costly. Phenomenal effort from Italy. First time in my memory that Italy have looked like a real quality team. #EuroBasketWomen ]]
FYI
Ceci Z #2 in EFF for the valiant underdogs ITA
Vanloo #3 in EFF tied with Linskens, tied for BEL scoring lead
Glad to have you posting on the site! My fondest wish is for this site to be a thriving supportive community in the comments
Q1
10.00. CHI is pretty trigger happy on the long 3s.
9.00.. GSV blitzes the PNR, lets Reese roll and have the open mid range. Miss.
8.11. GSV now fighting through screens, no switch at all. Confuses CHI.
KT is the official Valkyrie representative to fighting off the entire other team on the floor.
GSV is getting all kinds of point blank layups and missing.
KT dances after a “save us KT” pullup 3, then dances and yells at Podziemski who is definly going to get a tech for being on the court before season’s end.
5.52. BLOB ATO. Cutter going over the Stagger screen at elbows. Covered well, Tip has to make something, great hesitation move.
5.37. CHI playing drop defense.
4.55. Chen checking in. Cool little pin-in screen play, but missed 3 for CHI.
4.08. NICE rotation from Mo on the CHI backcut by Atkins. But a foul called. Van Lith now in.
3.35. GSV show and recover on PNR and Martin doubles Reese in the post. Then Martin good recovery. D makes sense, but it’s
Q1
3.35. Okay this is a loong review. Should I start The Wave?
Upgraded to a flagrant foul. It’s been so long I have no recollection what was flagrant about it. Oh, caught KT in the face. Honestly looked accidental.
3.30. GSV 5-out, CHI defender right in VB’s face.
3.20. Crowd was enthralled as Money Martin threw about 5 post counter moves and then missed the layup. But the drama built cinematically.
2.55. GSV hot rod their HORNS set for Bibby's pick and popways. I couldn't see who dove on the floor to force a jump ball but the intense sonic boom told me it was Kaitlyn Chen.
1.45. GSV tries a VB-Bibby pick and pop which swings straight into a Martin-Amihere PNR. That part was good. But three straight 3s from Nurse is not okay. Time out.
Quick breakdown:
Nurse parked herself at the right wing of the 2-3 zone and Bibby was too far off to rotate to her.
Second time, on an OREB she got lost by the GSV D. Could have happened to anyone.
Bibby and Amihere both go with Onyenwere on the fast break, leaving Nurse open as the trailer. That was bad defense and caused an instant timeout.
0.27. Martin is actually giving a lot of resistance when posted up.
CHEN 3. Arena is now levitating like a hovercraft.
Q2
9.15. Chen with another ovation for sliding across the floor.
8.33. Then Chen with a great fake pass that threw the defender across the floor like she was using the Force, in for a layup.
7.50. CHI now not in drop but surprised VB with a show and recover so she couldn’t enter it to the rolling Amihere.
7.30. LA using her size on the iso, fouled. Her plays are mixed bag today with some defensive lapses and just general unpredictable chaos.
GSV with a lot of ME-BOUNDS™. GSV would be way behind without the OREB. WE LOSE MONEY ON EVERY SALE BUT MAKE IT UP IN VOLUME™
6.44. Chen with an assertive drive for a foul.
6.24. I think a double came on the blind side for Reese? Yes, Burton was sneaking off her mark and thus got the deflection.
Reese is fighting multiple Valks every time for rebounds and she is not happy about it.
4.38. Mo with such a good spin move and reverse that even though the layup missed, CHI called a timeout on general principle.
Q2
4.22. Burton looked like she was trying to pull the chair on Williams, close foul call. The impartial jury of Ballhalla deliberated and returned the verdict BOOOOOO.
3.34. So many OREBs. 7 so far.
3.12. Yes, let’s let the woman with the broken face do a wild spin move to split defenders and fly across the floor. Oh Tip.
2.47. Talbot with a show and a loooong recover. Well done. What made that work was the clever rotation of Mo leaving Reese in the lane, KT rotating to Reese and leaving the weak corner open. That’s a tricky defense for CHI to read on the fly. Not read, defense successful.
Q2
4.22. Burton looked like she was trying to pull the chair on Williams, close foul call. The impartial jury of Ballhalla deliberated and returned the verdict BOOOOOO.
3.34. So many OREBs. 7 so far.
3.12. Yes, let’s let the woman with the broken face do a wild spin move to split defenders and fly across the floor. Oh Tip.
2.47. Talbot with a show and a loooong recover. Well done. What made that work was the clever rotation of Mo leaving Reese in the lane, KT rotating to Reese and leaving the weak corner open. That’s a tricky defense for CHI to read on the fly. Not read, defense successful.
Vogue Dance Cam has revealed some serious local talent.
Michelle Wie West is here. Nice ovation.
Atkins with a super difficult diagonal runner.
2.00. GSV runs that HORNS play (have to look up the numbe, VB signals it at 2:12) where the elbows run a pick and roll. CHI tries to jam the screen, foul.
1.25. Where would CHI be without Nurse. ANOTHER 3.
Not great shot selection by GSV last two plays. Just bare jumpers, no inside-out play. CHI slices it to 2.
Talbot playing the bigger Williams by giving a foot to reduce the hit when she runs into her. Works again.
0.40. This time inside-out play. Two drives gets CHI in rotation in the paint, Thornton’s defender sinks in, KT with ANOTHER weak side wing 3. Where would GSV be without KT? But that’s kind of too obvious to say.
GSV is up without playing that well. But CHI is just a little hot shooting away from catching up if GSV’s offense gets loose. GSV just isn’t good enough at scoring to waste chances.
Q3
7.07. 10 OREBS. Where would GSV be without them?
6.42. That Mo-VB PNR as usual leads to a good shot for Mo in the paint. But she’s missed all but one tonight.
6.23. Trusting process over results, another Mo-VB PNR, another bunny for Mo another miss. But at least 2 FTs.
6.05. Good drop and recover from Mo.
5.35. Stagger screen to pick on Amihere. (This is the same play as GSV 325 and GSW 55.) LA goes under on two screens for Atkins, Atkins makes her pay. I know LA messed up using drop coverage on Marine last game… is this more of the same? I doubt she’s supposed to go under there.
4.55. Same stagger screen for CHI. This time Tip switches on the big and CHI can’t enter to ball to punish her. Wouldn’t be surprised if CHI tries again.
Q3
4.41. VB with the very rare FT miss. So rare that I felt compelled to mention it.
4.15. Chen is taking advantage of the moment with assertive offense. GSV runs a play to get her attacking on the wing.
3.25. Van Lith dueling with Martin and Chen. Social media heaven.
2.55. GSV still rolling with this 3 small lineup (Tip, Martin, Chen). I guess Martin can kind of hang with the smaller bigs.
HVL with a 3. Martin with the response pull up 3.
1.07. Okay back to 2 guards (Chen/Martin)
0.40. Amihere just destroyed that layup attempt. Then leads the break, pass to an easy KT 2. Chaotic good.
0.16.2. Williams bulldozes Chen on the drive. I do think that was barely a block. The impartial jury of Ballhalla has returned a verdict of BALL DON’T LIE when both FTs missed.
Q4
10.00. I’ve got some kind of “Nurse, you’re supposed to do no harm” joke here, but I have to workshop it. 5th three. Clever CHI set play (ATO after time out) where Nurse cuts across the lane, then gets an exit screen to the corner. Tricky.
8.45. Chen with the very nice use of her speed to stay with HVL on defense.
GSV at 28% 3P, CHI at 48.1% 3P. That’s the game right there.
7.47. I’m going to miss Bibby when she’s gone. Another HORNS for a Bibby pop 3. The only Valk who I think will make a three when she shoots, instead of it being a happy toy surprise.
7.24. LA fought well on the initial post move, but fell and gave up the layup. Then audible buzz at LA posted up Reese. Our chaos against yours. Sadly, Valk chaos lost.
6.35. Then KT in early offense, but Amihere takes a dreadful route right into KT from behind which messes up the play and is also unusually chaotic even for LA.
6.29. I am not tired yet of Podziemski launching T-shirts into the crowd.
Q4
6.20. CHI runs HORNS Flare, which GSV also runs. Mo reads it all the way. Pick 2.
5.49. CHI plays drop on Martin. I know it’s the Valks, but that’s disrespectful. Martin files a complaint via a pull up 3.
5.20. Huge defensive stand. We can’t score in halfcourt? Let’s run.
I am very disappointed that Ballhalla hasn’t weaponized these Pride fans. No, not like that. Like coordinated fanning to make a vortex that throws off opponent FTs.
4.56. Chen gets into the paint and wisely ejects to Mo. 2.
3.53. Bibby shot and recover, but CHI spreads out the play so Bibby can’t get back to her mark. Mo rotates, Mo’s mark pops out for an open 3. GSV dodge a bullet.
If we can do The Wave, we can do The Tornado.
Q4
2.35. CHI pulls out a deep drop defense for the Tip-Mo PNR. Tip immediately attacks the middle, snakes the screen, very tight pass to Mo’s microroll, Billings layup goes in with the help of the Coriolis effect.
2.12. CHI cuts it to 5. Last FT misses with the help of the Bernoulli effect. ALWAYS CLOSE ENOUGH TO HURT™.
2.00. You know, I’m not sure I believe there are clutch shooters that come through more when it’s times of trouble, but then again I can’t explain Kayla Thornton. MASSIVE THREE.
1.25. More CHI drop on Tip-Mo PNR.
1.11. Back to 4. Very confusing play.
0.32. CHI pulls out the full court press. Why did CHI intentionally foul there? They could have played straight D and got the ball down 3 with 0:11.
Instead, Tip ices it. It’s not technically over, but if GSV loses this up 5 with 0:22 to go, it would be a loss you’d remember for the rest of your life.
Postgame
KT with the post-game interview. Career high 29 points. It is so loud though that I can't understand a thing.
Reese also piled up 18 REB, but it doesn’t stand out as much when GSV piles up 10 OREBs and outrebounds CHI 42-40.
Nakase: Coaches asked KT to make her voice louder and she responded with leadership and communication. This game showed complete trust. We are a family.
Q. Why the slow start?
NN. I don’t know! CHI played hard every possession. Playing faster without Cardoso which was different from what they saw on film.
Faye wrote: Fun fact from the eavesdropping from my seats: opposing team security details complain a TON about Podz and chase center security all but rolls their eyes. He usually gets one talking to a game to stay off the court.
Need this insider perspective