Portland Fire Rally Past Valkyries 90-82 in Overtime

The Portland Fire defeated the Golden State Valkyries 90-82 in overtime on Tuesday, September 22, with Bridget Carleton leading all scorers with 26 points. Portland overcame a 14-point first-quarter deficit, forced overtime after a level fourth quarter, and took control with a 13-5 extra session at Moda Center.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Valkyries 24, Fire 10

Golden State made the stronger opening statement, building a 24-10 lead through the first 10 minutes. Portland faced an early 14-point gap and had work to do after producing just 10 points in the period.

Second Quarter: Fire 27, Valkyries 16

The Fire responded immediately in the second quarter. Portland outscored Golden State 27-16 to erase the deficit and send the game to halftime tied at 37-37. The turnaround gave the home side momentum after its difficult start.

Third Quarter: Fire 21, Valkyries 21

Neither team created separation after halftime. Golden State and Portland each scored 21 points in the third quarter, keeping the score even at 58-58 entering the final regulation period.

Fourth Quarter: Fire 19, Valkyries 16

Portland held a 19-16 edge in the fourth, but Golden State’s overall scoring through regulation left the teams tied at 77-77. The game required one overtime period to determine a winner.

Overtime: Fire 13, Valkyries 5

The Fire delivered their most decisive stretch in overtime, outscoring the Valkyries 13-5. Portland’s poise at the foul line helped secure the result, as the Fire finished 22-for-23 on free throws for the night.

Key Performers

Bridget Carleton, Portland Fire: Carleton paced all players with 26 points and was Portland’s top scoring option in the overtime victory.

Emily Engstler, Portland Fire: Engstler led Portland with 11 rebounds, helping the Fire stay competitive on the glass despite Golden State’s 38-34 overall rebounding advantage.

Jordan Harrison, Portland Fire: Harrison handed out a game-high 10 assists as Portland finished with 21 assists on 29 made field goals.

Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries: Williams led the Valkyries with 17 points in a balanced effort that kept Golden State level through 40 minutes.

Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries: Burton contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, filling the box score for the visitors.

NerdSports Stat: Portland scored only 10 points in the first quarter, then produced 80 points over the final four periods and overtime to complete the comeback.

Game Analysis

Portland’s free-throw efficiency was a major difference in a close game. The Fire and Valkyries each made 22 free throws, but Portland needed only 23 attempts while Golden State went 22-for-30. That seven-attempt gap proved meaningful in a contest decided by eight points after overtime.

Both teams had similar shooting efficiency from the field: Golden State shot 39.4% and Portland shot 39.2%. The Fire offset a difficult 10-for-36 performance from three-point range by earning frequent trips to the line and by generating 21 assists. Golden State made eight three-pointers on 31 attempts and recorded 22 assists, but could not match Portland’s execution during overtime.

The Valkyries held a 38-34 rebounding edge and opened with a 24-point first quarter, yet Portland’s 27-point second period changed the game. From there, the teams played even through the third quarter before the Fire finished stronger in the extra session.

Closing Context

The win moved Portland to 17-27 overall and 9-13 at home. Golden State fell to 31-12, including a 14-7 road record. The Valkyries will next face the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday, September 24, while Portland’s next scheduled game was not provided in the available game information.

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