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All fired up! Sami wins Opals battle against Steph
Australian Sami Whitcomb #33 of the Phoenix Mercury reacts after scoring against the Golden State Valkyries during the second half of the WNBA game at PHX Arena on June 05, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury defeated the Valkyries 86-77. Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Highlights
Phoenix Mercury defeat Golden State Valkyries 86-77 in WNBA clash
- Sami Whitcomb was -6 in 30 minutes for the Phoenix Mercury
- Steph Talbot was +7 in 12 minutes off the bench for Golden State Valkyries
- How to watch every 2025 WNBA game in Australia
Australian Opals point guard and WNBL MVP Sami Whitcomb got the better of Australian teammate Steph Talbot as the Phoenix Mercury (6-3) defeated Golden State Valkyries (2-5) 86-77 at Footprint Center on Friday, June 6, 2025.
Lexi Held's 24-point performance off the bench powered the Mercury to their fifth home win of the season.
Whitcomb, 37, finished with nine points, including 2-from-6 from three-point land, three rebounds and two steals before fouling out while Talbot played 12 minutes off the bench for the Valkyries. She had two points, three rebounds and three assists.
Key Details
- Result: Phoenix Mercury 86 def. Golden State Valkyries 77
- When: June 6, 2025
- Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix
- Standings: Phoenix Mercury (#6) | Golden State Valkyries (#11)
By the Numbers
- Lexi Held (Phoenix Mercury) starred with 24 points, two assists and one steal in 27 minutes.
- Veronica Burton (Golden State Valkyries) scored 16 points, and had two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 28 minutes.
What Happened
The Phoenix Mercury established an early advantage, leading 21-16 after the first quarter. The Valkyries responded in the second period, outscoring Phoenix 22-16 to take a narrow 38-37 lead into halftime.
Phoenix regained control in the third quarter with Satou Sabally contributing seven points during a crucial 12-4 run midway through the period. The Mercury closed the quarter strong, taking a 61-60 lead into the final frame.
The fourth quarter belonged to Phoenix as Held took over, scoring 11 of her game-high 24 points in the final 10 minutes. Her back-to-back three-pointers with four minutes remaining pushed the Mercury lead to eight points, effectively sealing the victory as they outscored Golden State 25-16 in the decisive final quarter.
Held provided an outstanding spark off the bench, shooting an efficient 7-from-15 from the field including 4-from-9 from beyond the arc. Her perfect 6-from-6 performance from the free-throw line proved crucial in maintaining Phoenix's advantage down the stretch.
The Mercury's superior shooting efficiency made the difference in this contest. Phoenix shot 46.2 percent from the field (30-from-65) and an impressive 44 percent from three-point range (11-from-25), compared to Golden State's 41.7 percent (25-from-60) and 31 percent (9-from-29) respectively. Phoenix also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Valkyries 36-29, with Kalani Brown collecting eight rebounds in just 13 minutes off the bench.
