The Phoenix Mercury are heading home with a split after wrapping up their first road trip of the season, but it wasn't without its challenges. Following an emotional, high-energy battle against the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday, the Mercury faced a completely different test Sunday night in San Francisco, falling to the Golden State Valkyries, 95-79.
From the opening tip at Chase Center, the Valkyries fed off the energy of their home crowd on opening night. Golden State came out firing on both ends of the floor, building an 18-point lead in the first half and putting the Mercury on their heels early. It was a stark contrast to the grind-it-out style Phoenix had just faced against the Aces.
But the Mercury showed resilience. After a sluggish start, they regained momentum coming out of the halftime break. Phoenix cut the deficit to a one-possession game by the end of the third quarter, giving fans hope of a comeback. However, foul trouble and relentless defensive pressure from the Valkyries proved too much to overcome in the final frame.
Head coach Nate Tibbetts pointed to the grueling schedule as a factor. "I thought we battled back and did that," Tibbetts said. "Maybe we just kind of ran out of gas a little bit, but this is a tough place to play, especially on opening night." The Mercury arrived in San Francisco just 24 hours after leaving Las Vegas, a quick turnaround that tested their depth and stamina.
Despite the loss, there were bright spots worth celebrating. Alyssa Thomas recorded her first double-double of the season and flirted with a triple-double, showcasing her all-around game. Natasha Mack knocked down her first career 3-pointer, a milestone moment for the forward. Jovana Nogic scored in double figures for the second straight game to open her career, while Noemie Brochant and Kiana Williams continued to prove they can be reliable contributors off the bench.
Phoenix returns home with a 1-1 record, and Tibbetts acknowledged he's "happy" with where the team stands early in the season. There's plenty to work on, but also plenty of promise as the Mercury look to build momentum in front of their home crowd.