One of the highlights of the expansion draft in December was Kate Martin going to the Golden State Valkyries. Martin didn’t play much with the Aces in her rookie season but quickly became a fan favorite. Seeing her go to an expansion team in need of young talent to develop opened the doors to more playing time and a bigger role.
Martin had a quiet start to the season, totaling only eight points over her first three games. Then, she scored ten points in the Valkyries’ 95-67 loss to the Liberty. Against the Lynx, she finally had a true breakout game offensively.
In 19 minutes on the court—the second-most of her season with the Valkyries—Martin scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds. The second quarter was Martin’s time to shine. She started the second quarter after spending the first on the bench. About three minutes into the quarter, Martin hit her first basket—an and-one layup on a fast break initiated by Julie Vanloo.
After that, there was no slowing Martin down. She was aggressive and confident, hitting another layup and two 3-pointers. That is exactly what fans were hoping to see from Martin with the Valkyries. Now, she just has to prove that she can do it again and this game wasn’t just a hot shooting night for her.
The Valkyries put up a good fight against Minnesota
Minnesota is undoubtedly one of the best teams in the WNBA right now. Napheesa Collier is an MVP candidate and all key players around her are pulling their weight as well. The Lynx are a great two-way team and not easy to beat in any way.
Nevertheless, the Valkyries managed to keep the score close for most of the game. Golden State even won the second quarter by five points, propelled by Martin’s scoring. With just under five minutes left in the third quarter, the Valkyries were only down one point. Then, the Lynx managed to pull away, winning the third quarter 17-8.
The Valkyries established their identity as a gritty team always willing to battle early in the season. It has become increasingly obvious in the team’s recent games against the top contenders in the league. The first time the Valkyries faced New York, the Liberty steamrolled the newest WNBA franchise. The next time around, the Valkyries stayed in the game until the very end. Likewise, they battled to the best of their abilities against Minnesota.
Golden State may not be a real threat to the best teams in the league, but the team won’t just give up. That is a great precedent to set in the team’s first season.