On Sunday night, the defense-focused Golden State Valkyries will aim to contain the high-scoring Marina Mabrey as they face off against the Toronto Tempo. This matchup marks the first of two encounters scheduled within a span of three days in San Francisco.
Event Context
The two teams will face off again on Tuesday. In their previous encounter on July 8 in Toronto, the Valkyries secured an 83-75 win over Tempo, thanks to a strong 26-16 performance in the fourth quarter. Janelle Salaun from Golden State was the standout player, scoring 26 points, which is noteworthy given the usual scoring prowess of Mabrey in other games this season. Mabrey, who has surpassed the 20-point mark in 13 games this season, managed only 11 points in that matchup and missed all three of her attempts from beyond the arc. However, over the last seven games, she has maintained an average of 21.9 points and has been hitting 2.9 three-pointers per game.
Player Focus
As Toronto approaches a critical two-game stretch, they are currently experiencing a five-game losing streak. Notably, Mabrey has been performing exceptionally well, with impressive scoring outings of 25 and 26 points in recent games. Her last standout performance contributed 30 points during the Tempo’s last victory, a thrilling 93-91 win against the New York Liberty on July 12.
Team Analysis
The Tempo are set to welcome a new addition as they trade for Aneesah Morrow from Connecticut. Morrow showcased her skills with an average of 11.6 points over 20 games with the Sun this season.
“We need to confront challenges head-on, and that’s exactly what we are doing. The question remains: what type of team do we aspire to be? We have the ability to compete, no matter the scoreboard’s outcome,” said the team’s leader.
The Valkyries have shown resilience in facing challenges this season, currently enduring a two-game losing streak, their third of the year. In previous instances, they rallied from the brink of a third consecutive loss by going on impressive winning streaks of four and nine games.
Match Outlook
Morrow is set to join her new team as they embark on a five-game road trip.
Toronto’s coach, Sandy Brondello, emphasized the team’s determination this week, stating, “Our goal on this trip is to compete. We need to demonstrate resilience. When we’re winning, everything feels great; when we lose, it can be tough.”
Golden State’s point guard Veronica Burton believes their performance against the Phoenix Mercury, which resulted in a narrow 91-89 loss, has room for improvement.
“Just being in that game showed our potential, even though we made several mistakes,” she remarked in a post-game interview. “There’s plenty to learn from this experience—like staying unified and maintaining our composure. We just need to recover and move forward.”
Field Level Media
