SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes was helped off the court late in the second quarter and didn’t return to Wednesday’s 76-74 win over the Mystics after taking an arm to the face from Washington’s Shakira Austin and going down for several minutes in a scary scene.
The team said she suffered a nose injury and would be further evaluated.
“I think we’re just going to wait to see how she feels but I walked in the locker room and she was the first one to open her arms and give me a big hug,” coach Natalie Nakase said. “I immediately said, ‘How are you?’ She goes ‘I’m fine.’ She just wanted to say congrats for your first win.”
Hayes went hard to the floor beneath the Washington basket 3:43 before halftime of the expansion franchise team’s second game. She was down for several minutes after the hit to her head as at least a half-dozen medical personnel rushed out to tend to her.
She gave a thumbs-up after she was helped up and went to the locker room with a towel pressed to her face. She received a standing ovation when she left.
Kayla Thornton said Hayes’ injury added determination for the Valkyries to get their first win.
“Her going down, that’s a big part of our team, but I just told the girls we’ve got to step up, the next person has…
