SEATTLE (AP) — Janelle Salaun scored 20 points and tied a career high with five 3-pointers, Veronica Burton had 16 points, and the Golden State Valkyries beat the Seattle Storm 91-80 on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
Kaitlyn Chen scored all 14 of her points in the second half and Kayla Thornton added 13 for Golden State, which led 49-41 at halftime and 69-53 after three quarters. Seven different Valkyries made a 3-pointer and the team finished 15 of 37 from distance.
Gabby Williams, Golden State’s marquee offseason addition, had seven points, six rebounds and four assists in her return to Seattle where she played from 2022-25.
Dominique Malonga led Seattle with 21 points and Zia Cooke added 15 off the bench. Jade Melbourne scored 13 and Flau’jae Johnson, the No. 8 selection in the WNBA draft, had 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting.
Seattle is expected to be without starter Ezi Magbegor for six to eight weeks due to a right foot injury.
Golden State had two players leave with injuries in the first half and neither returned. Starter Tiffany Hayes left with a left pinky injury in the first quarter and Cecilia Zandalasini sustained a jaw injury in the second.
Golden State opens its home schedule on Sunday against Phoenix.
Seattle travels to play Connecticut on Sunday.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun (13) moves to the basket against Seattle Storm guard Jordan Horston (23) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Storm guard Flau'jae Johnson reacts after making a three-point basket against the Golden State Valkyries during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen passes through the arms of Seattle Storm guard Jordan Horston (23) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
LONDON (AP) — South Africa played its part and confirmed that India must take down Australia at Lord's to qualify for the Women's Twenty20 World Cup semifinals on Sunday.
On the last day of the group stage, India, the ODI world champion, and South Africa, the finalist at the last two T20 World Cups, were fighting for the fourth and last semifinal spot. Unbeaten Australia was safely through in their group barring a massive meltdown.
South Africa labored to beat Bangladesh by four wickets in the first match of the Lord's doubleheader.
India remained ahead of South Africa on net run rate but had to beat Australia in the afternoon to overtake South Africa in the table.
By coincidence, the best batters on both teams were out to the first ball of each innings. Juairiya Ferdous swung at and missed Marizanne Kapp and gave the South African pacer her 100th T20 wicket. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt was bowled between bat and pad by Marufa Akter. The pair of opening ducks happened only once before at a T20 World Cup in 2018 between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh chose to bat and made only 117-5 in the face of quality bowling by Kapp (1-9) Shabnim Ismail (1-15) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (2-22).
Sobhana Mostary top-scored for Bangladesh with 42 and captain Nigar Sultana was 32 not out off 20 to become the team's leading tournament scorer.
Annerie Dercksen and Tazmin Brits gave South Africa a better start but wickets fell regularly enough to make the chasers sweat. Dercksen was caught behind in the 15th over, Kapp was run out in the 18th and Nadine de Klerk fell in the 19th. It took Chloe Tryon to grab the win with two miscued shots.
"We seem to always do this but we take the win,” Kapp said. “A win is a win. Even if it was very scrappy.”
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt is bowled by Bangladesh's Marufa Akter, during the Women's T20 World Cup cricket match between Bangladesh and South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground, in London, Sunday June 28, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Bangladesh's Juairiya Ferdous is bowled out by South Africa's Marizanne Kapp during the Women's T20 World Cup cricket match between Bangladesh and South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground, in London, Sunday June 28, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
South Africa's Marizanne Kapp reacts to bowling out Bangladesh's Juairiya Ferdous during the Women's T20 World Cup cricket match between Bangladesh and South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground, in London, Sunday June 28, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
