Thornton, Burton, Billings have double-doubles as Valkyries beat Aces 95-68 to snap 4-game skid

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kayla Thornton had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Veronica Burton and Monique Billings also had double-doubles and the Golden State Valkyries beat the Las Vegas Aces 95-68 on Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak.

Burton added 14 points, a career-high 12 assists and seven rebounds, while Billings finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Cecilia Zandalasini scored a career-high 18 points for Golden State and Kate Martin had 12 for the expansion Valkyries, who set a franchise record for points in a game.

Thornton found Martin for a layup with a minute left in the first quarter to give the Valkyries the lead for good and Thornton’s 3-pointer with 3:47 remaining in the second made it 31-21. Las Vegas trailed by double figures the rest of the way.

The Valkyries (3-5) scored more points (34) in the second quarter than the Aces, who shot 29% (9 of 31) from the field in the first half, had at halftime. Martin’s deep pull-up 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Golden State a 49-28 lead at the intermission.

A'ja Wilson scored 17 for Las Vegas (4-3) and Chelsea Gray had 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Rookie Aaliyah Nye hit three 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 13 points, her second consecutive game in double figures.

The Aces finished shooting 36% (22 of 62) and made 6 of 25 (24%) from 3-point range.

Golden State heads south to play the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday. The Aces return home to take on Los Angeles on Wednesday.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase answers questions during a press conference before her team's WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces, where she spent three seasons as an assistant coach, Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon answers questions during a press conference before a WNBA basketball game against the Golden State Valkyries, Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) and guard Veronica Burton (22) defend against Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson in the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) guards against Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) guards against Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) during the first half a WNBA basketball game, Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)