Leite has big baskets in overtime as the Fire end the season with a 90-82 win over the Valkyries
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Carla Leite made the tiebreaking basket with 1:57 left in overtime and then converted a three-point play with 26.5 seconds to play as the Portland Fire ended the season with a 90-82 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday night.
Leite finished with 18 points for the Fire (17-27), who snapped a four-game losing streak. Bridget Carleton led the Fire with 26 points, including five 3-pointers.
Gabby Williams had 17 points for Golden State (31-12), which led 17-0 but had its six-game winning streak snapped. The loss clinched the No. 1 seed in the playoffs for the Minnesota Lynx.
The teams traded free throws and 3-pointers to open overtime before Leite's layup gave the Fire an 84-82 lead. Kaila Charles missed a 3-point attempt for the Valkyries before Leite's step-back 20-foot jumper and free throw put Portland up 87-82. The Fire made free throws the rest of the way for the final margin.
Tiffany Hayes' 3-pointer gave Golden State a 75-68 with 2:13 left in regulation. Portland closed the gap on a pair of layups from Carleton and Megan DiLeo, and Leite's driving layup and free throw pulled Portland ahead 77-75. Williams' layup tied it at 77 but she missed an off-balance jumper to send the game to overtime.
Carleton hit a 3-pointer with 3:20 left in the first quarter to stop the Valkyries' game-opening run. Golden State led 24-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Portland clawed back into the game, closing the margin to 29-26 after DiLeo's layup and free throw. DiLeo added another layup and free throw to tie the game at 35 with 33 seconds left in the first half.
The Valkyries closed out the half with a 40-37 lead. The teams wrestled for the lead in the third quarter but Golden State held a 61-58 advantage going into the fourth.
Valkyries: Visit Los Angeles on Thursday, the final day of the regular season.
Fire: Season complete.
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