Kate Martin Receives 6-Word Message From Valkyries Teammate After Personal News
The Golden State Valkyries were ecstatic after a last-second victory Tuesday night over the fifth-seeded Atlanta Dream after a game-winning shot from guard Cecilia Zandalasini.
The 77-75 road victory keeps Golden State steady in ninth place, one win behind the 13-13 Washington Mystics who the Valkyries face Thursday. Despite a number of injuries, the Valkyries have won two out of their last three games, and will look to keep that momentum when they head to Washington for the third of a five-game road trip.
Recently, role player and fan favorite Kate Martin has seen decreased minutes behind a crowded backcourt that includes former All-Star Tiffany Hayes, and rising stars like Carla Leite, Janelle Salaun, and Veronica Burton.
Another guard, Cecilia Zandalasini, finished with a team-high 18 points in Tuesday night’s win, including the game-winning midrange jumper with three seconds left in regulation. Martin played just six minutes in the contest.
After a strong end to the month of June, which included a career-high 21 points against the New York Liberty, Martin’s minutes have tapered off. However, as the second-year guard adjusts to her role on the court, she has seized plenty of opportunities off the court. Last week, Martin shared an exciting sponsorship with Rakuten, along with Hayes and Valkyries center Monique Billings.
Showcasing the camaraderie of the tight-knit Valkyries squad, Billings commented on Martin’s collaboration with Rakuten on Instagram.
"Kate the great a big steeeppaaaa," Billings wrote.
Billings, who has been a defensive stalwart for the expansion franchise, has been hampered with lingering ankle problems. After missing Golden State’s last two games, Billings left the court just nine minutes into the matchup with Atlanta with another ankle injury.
That said, she was in good spirits despite the injury, according to Natalie Nakase's postgame comments Tuesday.
The Valkyries will step into Washington looking to capitalize on the victory as they face Mystics rookie All-Star duo Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron during this playoff push.
Anwar Stetson is a Multimedia Sports Journalist from Los Angeles, California. He previously worked as a TV News Reporter for KRCR News Channel 7 in Chico, California--covering politics, local news, wildfires, crime, and high school football. As an Assistant Editor for Spectrum Sportsnet: Los Angeles, Anwar worked on award-winning programs Backstage:Lakers and Backstage:Dodgers, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the two franchises' most prominent athletes. Anwar is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received his Master's Degree in Specialized Journalism (Sports Emphasis) in 2019. He graduated from the University of California, Merced with a B.A. in English in 2016. In addition to Sports Illustrated, Anwar covers high school sports for Prep Network, and the WNBA for The Sporting Tribune.