By Jason Cruz
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. This time, we look at the WNBA champions, the youngest Indian woman to compete in Kona, a skate champion, and a Chinese basketball player detained by ICE.
Valkyries win WNBA Championship
The Golden State Valkyries won its first-ever WNBA Championship with a Game 7 win over the Atlanta Dream. In only its second year of existence, the Valkyries’ title caps off one of the most successful franchise starts in sports history. The team has garnered over $100 million in annual revenue, the most ever for a women’s sports franchise. It has a 47-game streak of sell out games at the Chase Center, the same venue as the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.
The team is coached by Natalie Nakase. The former UCLA women’s basketball point guard embarked on coaching after her college career ended. She spent time as an assistant in the NBA and also with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. In just her second season, Nakase is a world champion.
The Golden State Valkyries celebrate their win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Kaitlyn Chen, a key contributor to the Valkyries team is a champion. Chen, a basketball standout from California, played her first three years at Princeton University where she was a standout for the Tigers. She then transferred to the University of Connecticut for her final year of college eligibility. Chen helped the Huskies win the NCAA Championship in 2025. Although Chen was drafted by the Valkyries in the third round of the WNBA draft, she was cut prior to the start of the Valkyries’ first season. Fortunately for Chen and the Valkyries, she was re-signed with the team a month after being waived. She has remained on the team ever since. During her rookie year, she averaged 10 minutes per game over 24 games of Golden State’s first season. This year, Chen became more of a contributor to the team, averaging 7.2 points and 1.9 assists in 15 minutes per game.
The 24-year-old Chen’s parents are Taiwanese immigrants. She became the first Taiwanese American woman drafted in the WNBA.
Indian becomes youngest to compete in Ironman
The annual Ironman World Championships took place in Kona, Hawaii in October. The iconic location is the setting for the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run. The unbearable heat and undying winds make the race that much more challenging.
Renee Noronha
20-year-old Renee Noronha became the youngest Indian woman and youngest Indian athlete to finish the world championships. She finished the race in 15 hours, 41 minutes, and 53 seconds.
From Mumbai, India, the college student is on a quest to set world records for completing six Ironman races across six continents. Less than a month after finishing Ironman Kona, she traveled to South America for Ironman San Juan on Nov. 1 and finished the race.
“I’m doing it for every girl out there who’s been told their dream is too big or too impossible,” she said on an Instagram post. “Well they are not, you are meant for more and you can do anything that you set your mind to.”
Mao Shimada wins Skate Canada International
18-year-old Mao Shimada of Japan made her senior Grand Prix debut at the 2026 Skate Canada International. She earned the gold medal and secured a personal best short program score. Previously, Shimada was the four-time world junior’s figure skating champion.
Mao Shimada performs during the Junior Women’s Free Skating at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2024.(AP Photo/ Chiang Ying-ying)
Shimada’s mother was a fan of Japanese figure skater Mao Asada and named her after the skating star. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, her mother and sister moved to Kyoto so that she could train at an academy.
Shimada is being picked as an early favorite for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
College basketball player detained by ICE
Qingfang Pang
Qingfang Pang, a 6-foot-9 forward on scholarship with Mississippi Valley State, was arrested at an airport in New York last month, as he was attempting to return home to help clarify his visa status. The allegation is that Pang overstayed his visa and was detained and sent to an ICE facility in Louisiana. He was released on $12,000 bail, but still faces a hearing that could lead to his deportation.
The 21-year-old forward from China came to the United States to play basketball. His attorney states that he was the victim of a “procedural mistake” and was not aware that he did not file the proper paperwork to renew his visa.
Pang went to high school in Queens, New York and was recruited by multiple Division I teams, but decided to attend junior college at Monroe University in New York for two years prior to committing to Mississippi Valley State.
According to a report from Mississippi Today, Pang “accepted voluntary departure” which meant that he would leave the U.S. and would stay in ICE custody until his “removal.” However Pang did not know what he agreed to, according to Pang’s immigration attorney. He was not provided a proper interpreter to explain the removal paperwork. With help from state government officials, Pang’s case moved forward and he was allowed to be released pending a hearing.
Jason can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.
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