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Allisha Gray powers Atlanta to pivotal win over Golden State to force a Game 7

The former Gamecock put her team on her back when she needed it most.
ByMorgan Moriarty
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Oct 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) drives to the basket against the Golden State Valkyries in the second quarter during game six of the 2026 WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Oct 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) drives to the basket against the Golden State Valkyries in the second quarter during game six of the 2026 WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Atlanta Dream were on the brink of elimination entering Thursday afternoon's game against the Golden State Valkyries. The game was played at 12:30 p.m. ET in downtown Atlanta, Ga., thanks to a State Farm Arena scheduling conflict with the Atlanta Hawks. 

But for former Gamecock Allisha Gray, it didn't matter what time it was—she wasn't going to let her team lose at home. She led the Dream to a huge 80–69 victory over the Valkyries to even the series at three games a-piece, forcing a Game 7 on Saturday night. 

Gray led the Dream with 23 points, adding another three assists, three blocks and two steals.  

The performance was Gray's best of the season since returning from a procedure she had on a finger injury during the semifinals against the New York Liberty. 

"I'm just giving myself grace," Gray said after the game via ESPN. "Shots were falling today, so I will take that. ... My teammates did challenge me, and I do believe I stepped up to the challenge. In Game 7, I can't take my foot off the gas. I feel I can take it up to another level."

Gray also shot 5-of-7 from three-point range, and helped the Dream make six 3-pointers in the first quarter. In fact, Atlanta became just the second team in WNBA Finals history to shoot 75% from beyond the arc and make at least six threes in a quarter in the Finals. Defensively, it was also the first time Golden State gave up a 30-point first quarter in their first two seasons.  

Even her head coach, Karl Smesko, had high praise for his veteran leader for her performance. 

"The execution from film and practice to the floor was flawless on her part," Smesko said via ESPN. "These are as big of games as anybody has been a part of. It was the first thing we said in the locker room: how proud we are of Allisha."

It was an impressive performance for the former South Carolina Gamecock, who was drafted in the first round of the 2017 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings. 

Now, the pressure goes back on Golden State as the series returns to San Francisco. Game 7 will be on Saturday night, with tip-off set for 8 p.m. ET. If Gray can play like she did on Thursday, she could help deliver a first-ever championship for the Dream in franchise history.

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