Gabby Williams scores 18 as Valkyries top Mystics for 9th straight win

Gabby Williams poured in a game-high-tying 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in a 15-4 game-ending run, and the Golden State Valkyries won a ninth straight contest Saturday night, overtaking the visiting Washington Mystics 74-69 in San Francisco. Veronica Burton chipped in with an 11-point, 11-assist double-double for the Valkyries (19-7), who moved within one game of the Minnesota Lynx for the top record in the WNBA. Shakira Austin had 18 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the Mystics (12-12), who will get a chance to avenge the defeat when the clubs meet again in San Francisco on Monday night. A layup by Lauren Betts gave Washington a 65-59 lead with 6:13 to go before Golden State dominated the finish at both ends of the court. The Valkyries did almost all of their late offensive damage from beyond the 3-point arc, with Williams, Kiah Stokes, Thornton and Burton burying consecutive bombs in a 12-0 run that flipped the six-point deficit into a 71-65 lead with just 2:14 remaining. Williams buried one final 3-pointer with 1:23 left, finally giving the hosts a bit of a comfort zone with a 74-67 advantage. Thornton hit three 3-pointers, while Williams, Burton and Janelle Salaun dropped in two apiece for Golden State, which outscored Washington 36-18 from beyond the arc. The Valkyries hit 12 of their 33 3-point attempts (36.4%). Thornton finished with 11 points, while Burton found time to tie Laeticia Amihere for team-high rebound honors with five. Williams also collected three of Golden State's eight steals. Sonia Citron added 12 points for the Mystics, who totaled 20 more points than the 49 they put up against Golden State in a meeting in the nation's capital last week. Michaela Onyenwere aided the visitors' cause with nine points, all on 3-pointers, and a team-high five assists. Washington shot just 6-for-23 (26.1%) on 3-pointers. More must-reads: Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!