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Young’s 27 Points Power Aces Past Valkyries for First Home Win

Young’s 27 Points Power Aces Past Valkyries for First Home Win

The Las Vegas Aces finally celebrated a victory on their home floor Saturday, defeating the Golden State Valkyries 84-79 at Michelob ULTRA Arena behind a season-high 27 points from Jackie Young.

Young, who was held scoreless in two games earlier this season, has now scored at least 15 points in four straight contests. She knocked down six 3-pointers against the Valkyries.

“I mean, there was never a doubt with Jackie Young in my mind,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said. “I see her work too much, and I have an unbelievable belief in her.”

Young credited her recent resurgence to off-court challenges. “I was just going through it a little bit, and it’s hard to do what I do on the court whenever you’re feeling heavy, and so just trying to kind of balance the two,” she said. “I just had to take some time and get back to myself, but my teammates were there for me throughout the process.”

A’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds for Las Vegas, which improved to 7-3 and tied the Dallas Wings for the second-best record in the WNBA. The Aces shot 43 percent from 3-point range, nearly 10 percentage points above their season average, after being limited to just 20 points in the paint by the Valkyries.

Former Aces center Kiah Stokes, who won three championships with Las Vegas before leaving in the offseason, played a key role in Golden State’s interior defense. The Valkyries fell to 6-5 and have lost three of their last four games.

Gabby Williams led Golden State with 27 points and six rebounds on 58.8 percent shooting.

In a milestone moment, Aces guard Chelsea Gray recorded six assists, breaking the franchise’s all-time record for total assists with 1,134, surpassing Hammon. “It’s a testament to all the players that I’ve been able to play with,” Gray said. “I’ve played with some great players, and I’m currently playing with great players, and so you need a little help to get those assists.”

The Aces host the Seattle Storm on Monday at 7 p.m. as they aim for a fourth straight win.

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