ARLINGTON, Texas – Arike Ogunbowale delivered a historic performance, scoring 45 points to lead the Dallas Wings to a 108-100 overtime victory over the Golden State Valkyries at College Park Center on Wednesday.
The first-round playoff series is now tied 1-1, with a decisive Game 3 scheduled for Friday at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Ogunbowale’s 45-point explosion set a new WNAB playoff record, surpassing the previous mark by three points. Her record-breaking performance came in response to Dallas falling behind in Game 1, as she took control of the contest with her exceptional scoring ability.
Golden State matched Dallas basket for basket throughout the game, with a tightly contested fourth quarter coming down to the final seconds. The Valkyries maintained a three-point lead with just 15 seconds remaining when Ogunbowale drained a spectacular rainbow shot over Kayla Thornton to tie the game at 100-100 with four seconds left on the clock.
Following a timeout by Golden State, officials called an offensive foul on Rebecca Allen Williams, drawn by Aziaha James, which would have given Dallas two free throws with three seconds remaining. However, the Valkyries successfully challenged the call, resulting in a jump ball situation. Neither team managed to get a shot off before the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, Ogunbowale opened with a banked three-pointer, but Gabby Williams countered with a driving layup for the Valkyries. Williams later tied the game at 98-98 with a three-pointer from the top of the perimeter. Tiffany Hayes, who entered the game for Kaila Charles after she fouled out, became involved in a heated exchange with James.
Both Hayes and Ogunbowale received flagrant 1 fouls during the altercation and each were awarded two free throws. The physical nature of the game continued to escalate throughout the extra period.
Wings 108, Valkyries 100 (OT)
The defensive battle intensified as the Valkyries applied pressure from the start, building upon their aggressive approach from Game 1. Williams took on Paige Bueckers full court, disrupting the Wings’ offensive rhythm and forcing several early turnovers.
However, Dallas made crucial adjustments, shifting to their preferred fast-paced offense designed to counter Golden State’s defensive scheme. Rather than relying solely on Bueckers to initiate plays, the Wings incorporated recently-named Most Improved Player Jessica Shepard and other contributors in bringing the ball up the court.
This tactical shift drew center Kiah Stokes away from the paint, creating driving lanes for Ogunbowale to exploit. She finished the first half with a team-high 16 points and continued her dominance in the second half, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Golden State struggled with foul trouble early in the game, with both Veronica Burton and Charles fouling out during overtime. Ogunbowale capitalized on these opportunities, going to the free throw line 18 times and converting 16 of those attempts. The Wings as a team shot 32-of-37 from the charity stripe compared to Golden State’s 20-of-23.
Dallas’ bench provided crucial support behind Ogunbowale’s star performance. Alysha Clark contributed 21 points while Aziaha James added 13 points, helping to fill the scoring void when Bueckers went quiet with only 10 points.
Williams carried the offensive load for the Valkyries, scoring 18 points by halftime and finishing with a team-high 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field. Her 5-of-12 three-point shooting helped keep Golden State competitive.
Thornton’s strong play in the third quarter proved vital for the Valkyries’ comeback efforts. She scored seven quick points to open the frame and drew a hard foul in the process. Charles later sealed the quarter with a three-pointer and driving layup at the buzzer, giving Golden State a two-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Despite their best efforts, the Valkyries couldn’t generate sufficient secondary scoring to overcome Ogunbowale’s extraordinary performance. The Wings outscored Golden State 15-7 in the overtime period to secure the victory.
Attendance for the contest was 6,251 at the 7,000-capacity venue, with the game lasting 2 hours and 47 minutes.
