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The semi-finals and finals of the Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament were intense, but in the end, Napheesa Collier was crowned the winner, defeating Aaliyah Edwards in the best-of-three finals, 2-1, to win the $200,000 prize.
Before the title matchup, Edwards defeated Arike Ogunbowale in the semis, and Collier came out victorious in her semi-final game against Azurá Stevens.
Edwards defeats Ogunbowale
The rookie Edwards has surprised throughout this tournament and she continued that in this game by defeating Ogunbowale, 11-2.
Arike scored her first basket inside, and then Edwards went on a tear. Using her size and physicality, she scored 11 unanswered points to overwhelm Ogunbowale. There wasn’t much Arike could do in this contest; the size difference was just too much for her to handle.
Collier dominates Stevens
The other semi-final game was also not much of a contest. Collier has been far and away the best player during this tournament, and even with Stevens having a height advantage, she took care of business and won 11-2.
Both players missed their first few jumpers, but Phee finally scored after faking Stevens for a close-range shot. She scored inside the paint on back-to-back baskets, and suddenly, she was up 6-0. Phee scored on a post-up, and then Stevens finally got on the board, making it 8-2. However, Collier converted on her only 3-point attempt of the tournament to punch her ticket to the final.
Phee wins the $200K
In the finals, the format changed, and Edwards and Collier played a best-of-three series. In Game 1, Edwards continued her iconic run, winning 9-6.
It didn’t start well for Edwards, though, as Phee scored first. Then, Edwards retaliated, and we were even at two points. Both players exchanged baskets and the score was knotted at six, but after a free throw make, Edwards took a 7-6 lead. She took a timeout and clinched the on a layup from the left-hand side.
In Game 2, Phee was dominant and breezed through the game, winning 9-4. The game was tied at four points, but Collier hit a 3-pointer, her second of the tournament, and made a free throw to force Game 3.
For the winner-take-all game, Collier sealed the crown with complete dominance, winning 8-0. The physicality increased, and when it came time to be a champion, Collier demonstrated why her experience and endurance made the difference. She was smart with her fouls, looked less gassed and had the killer mentality required to out-execute Edwards.
With some mistakes, like traveling with the ball, Edwards didn’t have an answer in the final game, and Collier closed the tourney out.
Key takeaways
Take a bow, Napheesa Collier!
You’ve been the best player during 3-on-3 and the best in 1-on-1. Collier is in tip-top shape, and her speed, strength and execution in Unrivaled has no rival. Collier is as dominant as they come, and this competition was a joy to watch, but in the end, she was just a level above her peers.
