Valkyries blow out Liberty, 87-70, in Satou Sabally’s New York debut
The New York Liberty are nonetheless ready for Sabrina Ionescu to make her 2026 season debut. But Sabou Sabally took the courtroom for the primary time along with his new crew in Thursday’s 87-70 loss to the Golden State Valkyries at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
In her first recreation motion since October of the 2025 WNBA playoffs, Sabally scored 5 factors with 4 rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes of play. (She missed all of Unrivaled’s 2026 campaign whereas recovering from a concussion sustained during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in opposition to the Las Vegas Aces.)
Play 2026 Soccer Pick ‘Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world’s biggest soccer tournament
commercial
Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 16 factors, taking pictures 4-for-6 from 3-point vary. Veronica Burton and Kaila Charles every adopted with 13. Charles added seven rebounds, whereas Burton tallied 4 rebounds and 7 assists, hitting 3-of-6 3-pointers. Golden State improved to 3-1 and 2-0 on the street this season.
Perhaps deflated by the information that Ionescu would not play, the Liberty dragged by way of a primary quarter in which they have been outscored 25-15. New York received virtually all of its scoring in these opening 10 minutes from Pauline Astier (seven factors) and Breanna Stewart (4).
Sabally hit a 3 to open the third quarter, slicing the Valkyries’ result in 42-37. But Golden State went on a 10-4 run to revive its lead again to double-digits, and New York could not get a lot nearer after that.
commercial
Stewart completed with a game-high 18 factors and 9 rebounds. Jonquel Jones adopted with 16 factors, 8 boards and three assists. The Liberty drop to 3-2.
Both Ionescu and Sabally have been game-time selections. Ionescu continues to be recovering from a left foot damage sustained in the course of the preseason, whereas Sabally has been coping with a cyst and regaining her conditioning.
Last season in her lone marketing campaign with the Phoenix MercurySabally averaged 16.3 factors, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 39 video games, whereas taking pictures 32% on 3-pointers. She was named to her third WNBA All-Star teamtogether with new Liberty teammates Ionescu and Stewart.
commercial
The Valkyries play the second finish of a back-to-back Friday, visiting the Indiana Fever (3-2). The Liberty are off till Sunday, once they host the Dallas Wings (3-2) for a nationally televised matinee on NBC at 3:30 pm ET.
