Gabby Williams scored 30 points to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 68-63 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday night, capturing the franchise's first championship in just its second season.
Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the final 20 minutes. She had just two points in the first half but erupted for 15 in the third quarter as the Valkyries took a 45-44 lead into the fourth. In the final period, with the game tied at 53, Williams scored nine straight points including a deep 3-pointer that put Golden State up 60-57 with 2:18 left. The Valkyries did not relinquish that lead.
Williams also added four blocks and was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. She becomes only the second player in WNBA history to score 30 or more points in a winner-take-all Finals game, joining Penny Taylor who did it for Phoenix in 2007.
For Atlanta, Jordin Canada scored 18 points, Allisha Gray had 16, and Angel Reese added eight points and 12 rebounds. The Dream were denied a championship at their fourth attempt.
Coach Natalie Nakase praised Williams' poise. "Gabby is our closer she stayed patient, she stayed with it," Nakase said. "Closing with 30, that is incredible."
Teammate Veronica Burton said Williams was unstoppable once she found her rhythm. "Once she got going there was no stopping her. She hit shot after shot and got stop after stop. She gets it done on both sides of the floor," Burton said.
Williams said the team environment made the difference. "I just walked into a group full of love. And that just changed the entire trajectory of my career," she said.