Las Vegas Aces Return To Win Column With Close 104-102 Victory Over First-Year Golden State In High-Scoring Battle Saturday Afternoon
By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — It’s been a choppy first 21 games for the Las Vegas Aces, but the Aces showed the WNBA Saturday that this team could cause some damage in the second half of the season and the playoffs.
The Aces won their tenth game against 11 losses against the expansion Golden State Valkyries and their old friend, Golden State coach Natalie Nakase who returned to the Michelob Ultra Arena court for the first time since her years as an assistant with the Aces. (The Aces had only 13 losses last season).
It was a well-played 104-102 win for the Aces, as Las Vegas made nearly 55 percent of its shots, while Golden State converted 51.5 percent of its attempts before another sellout of 10,070 fans.
Wilson, the woman introduced by arena PA announcer Chet Buchanan as the best player on the planet, looked exactly that with 25 of the Aces’ 45 points at halftime as Las Vegas was down a point to Golden State. The Valkyries are making their WNBA debut this season and play before sellout crowds in San Francisco.
Wilson finished with 34 points. She missed four of the Aces’ first 20 games with two separate injuries (face/concussion protocol and wrist), with Las Vegas winning just one of those four games.
Entering the final period with a 76-72 lead, Wilson told a nationwide TV audience on CBS, “We can’t sleep on any defensive possession.”
Technically, the Aces at 10-11 are in the ninth position out of 13 WNBA teams, one position out of the playoffs that involve eight teams. But with a 44-game season, the Aces have 23 games to turn things around.
“We have to get back on track,” Aces/Raiders owner Mark Davis told LVSportsBiz.com later Saturday at the Battle For Vegas VGK vs Raiders charity softball game at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin.
The Aces also exacted some revenge against Golden State after getting routed by the Valkyries, 95-68, in San Francisco June 7.
The Aces were coming off a disappointing loss in Washington when the Mystics closed out their win with an impressive 12-2 run.
But this time, the Aces would not allow Golden State to do the same.
“We weathered the storm,” Wilson said after the game.
The Aces weathered the storm thanks to Wilson and her high-scoring mate Jackie Young, who delivered 30 points, including 11 for 11 from the free throw line.
PSA
