Gabby Williams leads Golden State Valkyries to 68-64 Game 1 win in WNBA Finals

Gabby Williams scored 26 points and made key free throws late to help the Golden State Valkyries hold off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at San Francisco's Chase Center, according to KRON4.

Williams converted two free throws with 1:18 left to take the lead and two more with 4.1 seconds remaining to seal the victory, despite facing tough defense from Atlanta throughout the game, WRAL reported.

The Valkyries shot 32.1% overall and made only 7 of 33 three-point attempts, with Williams contributing 16 points in the second quarter. No other player on the Valkyries reached double figures in scoring, according to ocregister.com.

Atlanta's defense pressured Golden State, but the Valkyries' strong defensive habits helped them secure stops in the final minutes, as noted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Atlanta's Rhyne Howard missed a late three-pointer that could have tied the game.

The Dream, who have never won a WNBA Finals game in franchise history, suffered their first playoff loss after a 10-game winning streak, and will look to bounce back in Game 2 scheduled for Monday night at Chase Center, per the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Golden State's home crowd created a hostile environment that the Valkyries coach had requested, helping energize the team in this defensive battle, according to ocregister.com.