Date, Time, Location: Thursday, September 4th, 7:00pm PDT, Chase Center
Broadcast Information: KPYX (Bay Area), various local affiliates (opposition broadcast in many Texas markets), WNBA League Pass (outside local markets), KGMZ (radio)
The Golden State Valkyries continue their homestand on Thursday by hosting the Dallas Wings knowing that a win would officially clinch a playoff spot in the team’s first year. Besides securing a postseason spot, the Valkyries are looking to hold their seeding or even getting the help needed to climb a spot. Their opponents are trying to finish out the season having needed an extra player just to get to the minimum eight players needed to start a game in recent days.
The Valkyries
Tiffany Hayes will be out even longer than expected, which is why Golden State was able to sign Liz Kitley in time for this game, leaving only the immediate availability of Cecilia Zandalasini up in the air now. The Valkyries are also set to have Monique Billings and Carla Leite available this time after they missed the previous meeting between the teams. In contrast to some recent opponents, the Wings may run some smaller lineups at times based on available personnel so the Valkyries could match them instead of needing to field some of the taller lineups of recent games.
The Opposition
The Wings have lost three more games since they last played the Valkyries, running their losing streak to seven games overall. They did not exactly have a full lineup of healthy players for that meeting, but the situation has gotten even worse in the last week as they need to be granted an extreme hardship exception just to be allowed to sign additional players to get to the eight needed to participate in games. Their last game was in Minnesota on Monday and it ended up being a blowout loss even though they kept it close for a while.
They should at least have more than eight players available for this game after more signings. Maddy Siegrist, Paige Bueckers, Diamond Miller, and Grace Berger would be the players who are on contracts for the rest of the season. Amy Okonkwo, who has played well for them, including against the Valkyries, would certainly be extended such a contract if the season was not about to end. They signed rookie guard Serena Sundell next to increase their depth before the additional issues started. When they needed a player just to be able to play a game, they brought in guard Christyn Williams, who had previously been on two WNBA teams, but was only able to make her first appearance while on this contract. Their latest move was to bring in rookie forward Ajae Petty, who went undrafted, but went to training camp with the Minnesota Lynx after finishing her college career at Ohio State, signing before she heads overseas to play for Dynamo Novosibirsk in Russia.
Dallas’s injury report is as long as the list of fully healthy players. The list includes the four players who missed the last game against the Valkyries in Tyasha Harris, Li Yueru, Arike Ogunbowale, and JJ Quinerly. The two starting posts for the Wings in that game, Luisa Geiselsoder and Haley Jones, are now out, ruining a homecoming for Jones. Myisha Hines-Allen, who had been starting at center, is the latest player to be added to the injury report, but she could be available tonight. Aziaha James has also missed the last two games, but is expected to be able to return,
Leave a Reply