Dallas Wings to Face Golden State Valkyries Without JJ Quinerly as Team Hits 100 Player Games Missed
The Dallas Wings will once again be undermanned when they face the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday afternoon at College Park Center.
Dallas (9-28) is coming off a 95-60 loss to the Seattle Storm on Friday. Maddy Siegrist led the Wings with 12 points and five rebounds, while Paige Bueckers added 11 points, two rebounds, and a steal to extend her streak of double-digit scoring games to 30. Golden State (18-18) has dropped three straight, most recently falling 81-72 to the Phoenix Mercury.
Injuries Mounting for Dallas Wings
The Wings did not practice on Saturday, choosing to rest amid a demanding stretch. Two players are already out for the season: Tyasha Harris, following left knee surgery, and Li Yueru with a left ACL sprain. Arike Ogunbowale also remains sidelined with right knee tendinitis.
JJ Quinerly is already ruled out with a left knee injury suffered in Los Angeles earlier this week. She was evaluated after the Wings returned home, but no further update has yet been established. Quinerly sat on the bench during Friday’s game against Seattle while using crutches and wearing a brace on her left knee.
Aziaha James, meanwhile, is listed as probable for Sunday’s game. She was not on the official injury report for Friday’s contest against Seattle but had recently been listed with a right ankle issue, something she has been managing recently.
“It’s a crazy schedule. It feels like every day is a game, which is great—who doesn’t love game days—but at the same time you need your body to rest and recover,” Siegrist said after Friday’s loss. “The games take a lot out of you, especially going wire to wire with them two nights ago.”
Once Sunday’s game begins, Dallas is set to surpass 100 total games lost due to injury or national team obligations. Nearly 80 percent of the schedule has been played with 10 or fewer available players, forcing the team to rely on hardship additions.
Dallas Wings Face Quick Turnaround
Head coach Chris Koclanes said the priority is recovery with little turnaround time. He emphasized the importance of rest and treatment as the Wings continue a heavy stretch of games and multiple key injuries.
“Tomorrow we’ll do everything we can to get them ready for a three o’clock game on Sunday,” Koclanes said. “It’s about getting their bodies ready, but also the mind. Physical fatigue shows up mentally, and that leads to lapses in the scouting report and breakdowns in execution.”
To help cover the absences, Dallas signed Amy Okonkwo to a seven-day hardship contract on Thursday. The 6-foot-2 forward made her debut Friday against Seattle, scoring eight points with one rebound in nine minutes off the bench. Okonkwo, who starred internationally for Bourges in France and the Nigerian national team, gave Dallas a scoring lift after joining the roster without practice time.
Despite the setbacks, Diamond Miller said the group remains focused.
“We have goals as a team that we still want to accomplish. That’s all the motivation we need,” Miller said. “Today didn’t go our way, but we know we can get it the next game. That’s the motivation—being better than this game and getting a win.”
Dallas and Golden State have split their two meetings this season, each winning at home. The Valkyries won the most recent matchup 86-76 in California on July 25. The all-time series is tied 1-1.
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: “We’ve Got to Learn From It”: Dallas Wings Overpowered by Seattle Storm Bench in Historic Loss
- WNBA News: “It’s Amazing Being Back”: Once an Intern, Amy Okonkwo is Set for Dallas Wings Debut Against Seattle Storm
- WNBA News: JJ Quinerly Ruled Out Friday Against Seattle Storm as Dallas Wings’ Injury Toll Nears 100 Games Lost
- WNBA News: Dallas Wings’ Li Yueru Out for Season With ACL Sprain, Arike Ogunbowale Has No Timetable With Knee Tendinitis
- WNBA News: “Paige Will Be a Unifier”: Curt Miller Details Dallas Wings’ Roster Plan Around Paige Bueckers
