Gabby Williams leads Valkyries past Dream in 68-63 Game 7

68. That was the final score in San Francisco on Saturday, the number that ended the Atlanta Dream's three-peat bid and secured the first WNBA championship for the San Francisco Valkyries in their second year of existence.

The Dream entered the Finals as the defending champions, having won the league's highest honor in the previous two seasons. They had already taken the first two games of the series before the Valkyries closed the gap. The Valkyries won Game 3 to force a deciding contest. The Dream won Game 4 to level the series at two games apiece. Saturday's Game 7 marked the first time the two teams had met in the Finals since their previous meetings.

Gabby Williams of the Valkyries led the scoring with 23 points, including seven from beyond the three-point line. She also recorded seven assists and four rebounds. The Valkyries shot 35.3% from long range in the second quarter alone, hitting a pair of three-pointers to build a 46-25 lead. The Dream failed to score on their next four attempts. Williams scored on a fast break to extend the advantage to 26-5. The Valkyries controlled the tempo for the remainder of the half.

The Dream attempted a comeback in the third quarter. Williams scored the first seven points of the period for the Valkyries, including a three-pointer to put the lead at 54-44. The Dream's A'ja Wilson, the team's leading scorer, played through the injury that had sidelined her earlier in the series. She finished with 15 points. The Valkyries' defense limited Wilson, forcing her into contested shots. The Dream could not find a rhythm against the Valkyries' perimeter pressure.

"It was a tough day, but we're proud of how we competed," said Dream guard DeWanna Bonner. "We just needed one more stop, one more rebound, one more thing. We fell short, but we left it all on the floor."

Williams credited her teammates for the victory. "We stuck to our game plan," she said. "We knew we had to hit those shots from deep and we did. We're a young team and we're growing. This is just the beginning."

The Valkyries will celebrate their title on the court in San Francisco. The Dream will return to Atlanta to begin preparations for the 2027 season. The next WNBA season is scheduled to begin in April.