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In Monday night’s first Unrivaled game, Phantom trailed Mist at halftime, 36-34. Then, Kelsey Plum happened.
KP opened the pivotal period by scoring the Phantom’s first eight points, converting two layups and nailing a 3. She would finish the frame with 14 points, dropping in another triple and going 6-for-8 from the field overall. Paced by Plum, the rest of the Ghost Gang also joined in on the third quarter fun, racking up 27 points in the seven-minute section to take a five-point lead, 52-47, and setting them up to secure the win in the untimed fourth quarter.
Mist, unsurprisingly, were not spooked by Phantom’s scoring outburst, as Allisha Gray opened the fourth with a triple that immediately cut their deficit to two points. However, Phantom was ready to respond to Mist’s scores, with Unrivaled rookie Kiki Iriafen serving as the team’s closer. Iriafen scored eight points in the fourth, finishing 3-for-4 from the field and 1-for-1 from the line. A layup by Kiki put Phantom up 62-57, a point away from the 63-point target score with a five-point cushion. Two-straight scores from Breanna Stewart brought Mist within two points of the target and put the pressure back on the Phantom.
Plum then met the moment, driving on Stewart, nashing under the basketball, sinking the turn-around baseline jumper over Gray and giving Phantom the 64-61 win.
The win served as a testament to Phantom’s balance and versatility. They are a club that can capably compete with opponents through their guards or their posts. Iriafen finished with a game-high 19 points, with Plum right behind her with 18 points.
Phantom also benefitted from how their guards can fulfill a role traditionally occupied by posts: rebounding. Plum, Natasha Cloud and Tiffany Hayes combined for 22 boards. That supported the 18 rebounds corralled by Iriafen and Boston. Overall, Phantom outrebounded Mist 44 to 28. Phantom also tallied 17 assists to Mist’s 11, with posts Iriafen and Boston contributing to Phantom’s playmaking.
With a slightly better shooting night from Stewart or Veronica Burton, Mist might have been able to overcome those disadvantages. Stewart shot 7-for-20 and Burton went 3-for-10, with neither connecting on a 3-pointer.
It’s also worth asking if head coach Zach O’Brien is getting too cute by shifting Mist’s starting lineup. On Monday, he elected to partner Alanna Smith with Stewart and Burton in the first three, with Smith ultimately logging just over five minutes after immediately committing two fouls.
The team’s original starting group of Stewart, Burton and Gray somewhat replicates the super-successful Lunar Owls trio that Gray was part of last season, with Stewart filling the Napheesa Collier role and Burton assuming the Skylar Diggins position. Would maximizing that group, rather than experimenting with different combinations, make Mist a stronger squad? At minimum, Gray needs more than 12 minutes—especially on her birthday. She’s been on fire to start the Unrivaled season and Mist outscored Phantom by a team-best five points during her time on Monday night.
Slim, Jackie lead Laces past Lunar Owls
Somewhat surprisingly, the second game of the night had just a three-point margin at halftime, as Lunar Owls trailed Laces, 43-40.
Some cold shooting from Laces, certainly, helped Lunar Owls remain competitive; Laces shot 34 percent overall and 22 percent from 3 through the first two quarters. Still, after suffering two blowout losses that were over early, Owls deserve credit for taking advantage of Laces’ shooting woes.
In the second half, Laces’ offense came alive. Brittney Sykes and Jackie Young provided the one-two scoring punch, with Sykes netting 12 points in the period and Young adding 10. Laces led by 11 points, 72-61, after three quarters, setting the winning score at 83.
Aaliyah Edwards was determined to try to carry Lunar Owls to a comeback win, earning a pair of and-1s to start the fourth. Owls, however, would never get closer than seven points. Sykes finished the job for Laces, hitting a stepback triple that put them on the edge of the target score before winning it with an aggressive drive, 84-72.
Sykes again finished as Laces’ high scorer, extending her stellar start to the season with 25 points. Young contributed a season-high 22 points.
Lunar Owls remained heavily reliant on Edwards and Marina Mabrey. Edwards worked her way to her Unrivaled career high, scoring 38 points. She also grabbed 13 rebounds for the loud double-double. Mabrey finished with 26 points as no other Owl scored more than three points.
