Ogunbowale’s 45 and clutch tying three carry Wings past Valkyries 108-100 in overtime

A duel began almost immediately

Golden State opened as if it might dictate the night. Gabby Williams scored the Valkyries’ first basket, helped push the margin to 10-4 and kept attacking through the quarter, finishing the opening 10 minutes with 13 points. Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton added early threes, and Golden State carried a 26-23 lead into the second after shooting well enough to make Dallas chase from the start.

Dallas answered by broadening the offence around Ogunbowale. After Kaila Charles and Janelle Salaun stretched the Valkyries’ lead to 30-23 early in the second, Alysha Clark hit from deep at 8:16, Aziaha James connected twice during the quarter and Clark banked in another three-pointer at 3:13 to pull the Wings level at 41-41. Odyssey Sims then nudged Dallas in front, and Clark’s late three helped send the Wings to halftime up 50-45.

The third quarter refused to settle. Thornton’s free throws tied the game at 50, Ogunbowale restored Dallas momentum with a three, and Awak Kuier followed with a three-point play for a 57-52 edge. Golden State hit back through Williams, Cecilia Zandalasini and Salaun, and the Valkyries reclaimed the lead late. Charles finished the period with a three-pointer at 24.6 seconds and a driving layup with 0.9 left, giving Golden State a 74-72 advantage heading to the fourth.

Every late turn seemed to belong to Ogunbowale

The Valkyries briefly looked ready to finish it in regulation. Kaitlyn Chen scored twice early in the fourth, Charles kept adding timely baskets and Golden State moved in front 78-73. Dallas kept finding an answer. Ogunbowale’s step-back three at 6:47 put the Wings ahead 80-79, but the lead kept changing hands in a game that finished with 15 lead changes overall.

Golden State still led 89-86 after Williams hit a pullup jumper with 1:26 remaining. Clark made two free throws at 1:19 to cut the gap to one, Ogunbowale scored inside with 22.5 seconds left to make it 91-90, and Williams calmly knocked down two more foul shots with 14.6 seconds remaining for a 93-90 edge. Dallas had one more response. Bueckers found Ogunbowale, and she buried a 23-foot three-pointer with 4.1 seconds left to tie the game 93-93 and force overtime.

Overtime quickly turned into Ogunbowale’s stage again. She opened the extra period with a 28-foot banked three at 4:32, then after Williams and James traded baskets and Williams tied it at 98-98 with 2:26 left, the game passed through a strange but critical flagrant sequence. Ogunbowale made two free throws, Tiffany Hayes answered with two of her own, and the score sat at 100-100. From there Dallas took control for good: Ogunbowale drilled another step-back three at 1:46, Clark made two more free throws at 1:28, and Ogunbowale closed the scoring from the line as the Wings won the extra session 15-7.

Our take: Dallas found the margin where Golden State could not

This was not a game decided by overwhelming control in the usual box-score categories. Both teams made 12 three-pointers. Both teams finished with 29 rebounds. Golden State even attempted nine more field goals. The Wings won because their efficiency was sharper where the numbers mattered most late: 50 per cent from the field, 52.2 per cent from three and, above all, 32 made free throws on 37 attempts. Golden State shot well enough to win on many nights at 46.6 per cent overall and 44.4 per cent from deep, but its 20-for-23 work at the line could not keep pace with Dallas.

The star performances made the game memorable. Ogunbowale’s 45 came on 12-of-23 shooting, 5-of-8 from three and 16-of-18 at the stripe, while Clark added 21 points on just seven shots and James supplied 13 points in 18 minutes. For Golden State, Williams was sensational with 36 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals, and Charles added 14 in 23 minutes. If Dallas is looking for the cleaner version of this win, allowing 100 points and needing overtime despite that shot-making leaves room to tighten the finish. If Golden State is looking for the swing point, the foul-line gap and 28 team fouls are the first numbers to revisit after a game it led after the first quarter, after the third and with 14.6 seconds left in regulation.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 9:25

   Gabby Williams makes 10-foot pullup jump shot (Kiah Stokes assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 8:55

   Cecilia Zandalasini makes driving layup

3. 1st Quarter · 7:58

   Arike Ogunbowale makes 5-foot two point shot

4. 1st Quarter · 7:21

   Arike Ogunbowale makes 6-foot reverse layup

5. 1st Quarter · 7:11

   Gabby Williams makes 24-foot three pointer

6. 1st Quarter · 6:40

   Veronica Burton makes 24-foot three point jumper (Gabby Williams assists)

7. 1st Quarter · 5:55

   Awak Kuier makes running layup (Jessica Shepard assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 5:34

   Gabby Williams makes 17-foot pullup jump shot

9. 1st Quarter · 5:19

   Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

10. 1st Quarter · 5:19

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

11. 1st Quarter · 5:00

    Kayla Thornton makes 23-foot three point jumper (Veronica Burton assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 4:13

    Paige Bueckers makes 25-foot running jump shot (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 3:54

    Gabby Williams makes 24-foot three pointer

14. 1st Quarter · 3:37

    Arike Ogunbowale makes driving layup (Maddy Siegrist assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 3:29

    Gabby Williams makes driving layup

16. 1st Quarter · 3:29

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 1 of 1

17. 1st Quarter · 3:15

    Arike Ogunbowale makes driving layup (Jessica Shepard assists)

18. 1st Quarter · 2:33

    Maddy Siegrist makes 9-foot two point shot (Alysha Clark assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 2:00

    Paige Bueckers makes free throw 1 of 2

20. 1st Quarter · 2:00

    Paige Bueckers makes free throw 2 of 2

21. 1st Quarter · 1:27

    Jessica Shepard makes driving layup

22. 1st Quarter · 49.9

    Janelle Salaun makes free throw 2 of 2

23. 1st Quarter · 37.4

    Paige Bueckers makes free throw 1 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 23.8

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 1 of 2

25. 1st Quarter · 23.8

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 2 of 2

26. 1st Quarter · 17.6

    Odyssey Sims makes free throw 2 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 3.1

    Tiffany Hayes makes 2-foot two point shot

28. 2nd Quarter · 9:37

    Kaila Charles makes 2-foot layup (Janelle Salaun assists)

29. 2nd Quarter · 9:04

    Janelle Salaun makes 2-foot layup (Veronica Burton assists)

30. 2nd Quarter · 8:49

    Aziaha James makes free throw 1 of 2

31. 2nd Quarter · 8:49

    Aziaha James makes free throw 2 of 2

32. 2nd Quarter · 8:16

    Alysha Clark makes 23-foot three point jumper (Paige Bueckers assists)

33. 2nd Quarter · 7:26

    Gabby Williams makes 24-foot running pullup jump shot

34. 2nd Quarter · 6:59

    Arike Ogunbowale makes running layup

35. 2nd Quarter · 6:40

    Kayla Thornton makes 22-foot three point jumper (Janelle Salaun assists)

36. 2nd Quarter · 6:23

    Aziaha James makes 22-foot three point jumper (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 5:50

    Awak Kuier makes 4-foot layup (Alysha Clark assists)

38. 2nd Quarter · 5:38

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 2 of 2

39. 2nd Quarter · 5:01

    Gabby Williams makes 15-foot pullup jump shot (Cecilia Zandalasini assists)

40. 2nd Quarter · 4:39

    Aziaha James makes 24-foot three point jumper (Paige Bueckers assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 4:07

    Veronica Burton makes running layup (Gabby Williams assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 3:13

    Alysha Clark makes 25-foot jump bank shot (Awak Kuier assists)

43. 2nd Quarter · 2:32

    Odyssey Sims makes 9-foot turnaround jump shot

44. 2nd Quarter · 1:20

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

45. 2nd Quarter · 1:20

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

46. 2nd Quarter · 1:14

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 1 of 2

47. 2nd Quarter · 1:14

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 2 of 2

48. 2nd Quarter · 57.2

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

49. 2nd Quarter · 57.2

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

50. 2nd Quarter · 29.0

    Alysha Clark makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jessica Shepard assists)

51. 2nd Quarter · 3.3

    Janelle Salaun makes two point shot

52. 3rd Quarter · 9:44

    Kayla Thornton makes 26-foot three point jumper (Gabby Williams assists)

53. 3rd Quarter · 9:07

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 1 of 2

54. 3rd Quarter · 9:07

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

55. 3rd Quarter · 8:40

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jessica Shepard assists)

56. 3rd Quarter · 7:35

    Kayla Thornton makes 18-foot pullup jump shot (Gabby Williams assists)

57. 3rd Quarter · 7:22

    Awak Kuier makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jessica Shepard assists)

58. 3rd Quarter · 7:22

    Awak Kuier makes free throw 1 of 1

59. 3rd Quarter · 7:05

    Gabby Williams makes driving layup

60. 3rd Quarter · 6:41

    Cecilia Zandalasini makes 24-foot running jump shot (Gabby Williams assists)

61. 3rd Quarter · 6:20

    Alysha Clark makes driving layup

62. 3rd Quarter · 5:59

    Gabby Williams makes 26-foot three pointer (Janelle Salaun assists)

63. 3rd Quarter · 5:20

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

64. 3rd Quarter · 5:20

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

65. 3rd Quarter · 4:02

    Paige Bueckers makes 14-foot jumper (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

66. 3rd Quarter · 3:40

    Janelle Salaun makes 12-foot two point shot (Gabby Williams assists)

67. 3rd Quarter · 3:21

    Aziaha James makes 14-foot pullup jump shot (Jessica Shepard assists)

68. 3rd Quarter · 2:39

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

69. 3rd Quarter · 2:39

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

70. 3rd Quarter · 2:12

    Aziaha James makes free throw 2 of 2

71. 3rd Quarter · 1:48

    Veronica Burton makes 26-foot three point shot (Tiffany Hayes assists)

72. 3rd Quarter · 1:27

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 5-foot pullup jump shot

73. 3rd Quarter · 1:01

    Kaila Charles makes free throw 1 of 2

74. 3rd Quarter · 1:01

    Kaila Charles makes free throw 2 of 2

75. 3rd Quarter · 42.8

    Alysha Clark makes 6-foot hook shot

76. 3rd Quarter · 24.6

    Kaila Charles makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kaitlyn Chen assists)

77. 3rd Quarter · 5.3

    Alysha Clark makes 4-foot layup (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

78. 3rd Quarter · 0.9

    Kaila Charles makes driving layup

79. 4th Quarter · 9:19

    Kaitlyn Chen makes driving layup

80. 4th Quarter · 8:35

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

81. 4th Quarter · 8:19

    Kaitlyn Chen makes 2-foot two point shot (Tiffany Hayes assists)

82. 4th Quarter · 7:52

    Paige Bueckers makes 14-foot fade away jump shot (Odyssey Sims assists)

83. 4th Quarter · 7:45

    Kaila Charles makes free throw 1 of 2

84. 4th Quarter · 7:25

    Jessica Shepard makes 3-foot layup (Odyssey Sims assists)

85. 4th Quarter · 6:47

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot

86. 4th Quarter · 6:30

    Janelle Salaun makes 22-foot pullup jump shot (Kaitlyn Chen assists)

87. 4th Quarter · 6:10

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

88. 4th Quarter · 6:10

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

89. 4th Quarter · 5:48

    Kaila Charles makes driving layup

90. 4th Quarter · 5:41

    Odyssey Sims makes free throw 1 of 2

91. 4th Quarter · 5:41

    Odyssey Sims makes free throw 2 of 2

92. 4th Quarter · 4:47

    Janelle Salaun makes 21-foot jumper (Veronica Burton assists)

93. 4th Quarter · 3:32

    Kaila Charles makes running layup (Gabby Williams assists)

94. 4th Quarter · 3:19

    Alysha Clark makes free throw 1 of 2

95. 4th Quarter · 3:19

    Alysha Clark makes free throw 2 of 2

96. 4th Quarter · 1:26

    Gabby Williams makes 14-foot pullup jump shot (Veronica Burton assists)

97. 4th Quarter · 1:19

    Alysha Clark makes free throw 1 of 2

98. 4th Quarter · 1:19

    Alysha Clark makes free throw 2 of 2

99. 4th Quarter · 1:02

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

100. 4th Quarter · 1:02

     Gabby Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

101. 4th Quarter · 22.5

     Arike Ogunbowale makes 3-foot two point shot

102. 4th Quarter · 14.6

     Gabby Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

103. 4th Quarter · 14.6

     Gabby Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

104. 4th Quarter · 4.1

     Arike Ogunbowale makes 23-foot three pointer (Paige Bueckers assists)

105. OT · 4:32

     Arike Ogunbowale makes 28-foot jump bank shot (Paige Bueckers assists)

106. OT · 4:14

     Gabby Williams makes driving layup

107. OT · 3:47

     Aziaha James makes two point shot

108. OT · 2:26

     Gabby Williams makes 26-foot three pointer (Veronica Burton assists)

109. OT · 2:26

     Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw flagrant 1 of 2

110. OT · 2:26

     Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw flagrant 2 of 2

111. OT · 2:26

     Tiffany Hayes makes free throw flagrant 1 of 2

112. OT · 2:26

     Tiffany Hayes makes free throw flagrant 2 of 2

113. OT · 1:46

     Arike Ogunbowale makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot

114. OT · 1:28

     Alysha Clark makes free throw 1 of 2

115. OT · 1:28

     Alysha Clark makes free throw 2 of 2

116. OT · 21.9

     Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

117. OT · 9.1

     Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

118. OT · 9.1

     Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2