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The second weekend of Unrivaled action has officially begun, and the two games demonstrated very different scenarios for clubs.
In the first game, we had two winless clubs facing each other in Phantom and Mist. Someone had to win, and that was Phantom, who came out victorious, 74-69. Laces, on the other hand, remained unbeaten in Unrivaled play. They defeated Vinyl 83-79, surviving a fourth-quarter push to close out the game on a Kayla McBride basket.
Phantom puts a win on the board
Phantom had to play without Sabrina Ionescu, who was out for personal reasons, and Marina Mabrey, who is dealing with a right calf issue. However, they managed to earn the win thanks to Sabally and Brittney Griner, who both scored 29 points. Natasha Cloud handled the distribution with nine dimes; she also grabbed seven rebounds.
In the defeat, Breanna Stewart did everything she could to come away victorious. She had a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Rickea Jackson’s offense was also elite in this contest, scoring 24 points. Mist were also without two key players, with Jewell Loyd and DiJonai Carrington both sidelined with injuries. The team added NaLyssa Smith as a relief player; she provided five minutes for Mist in her Unrivaled debut.
Things started off well for the Mist. Stewart and Jackson were unstoppable in the opening quarter, scoring the team’s first 20 points to start off with an 11-point advantage. Phantom eventually found a rhythm, with Sabally scoring from deep and Griner getting more and more aggressive. After one quarter of play, the Mist enjoyed a four-point lead.
Both teams exchanged baskets throughout the second quarter, and after a Sabally 3-pointer midway through the frame, Phantom took their first lead of the night. However, Jackson demonstrated her ability to be a three-level scorer in this game and helped the Mist regain the lead back.
As the game entered the third, Mist still held a 41-36 lead. But, you began to get the sense that Sabally and Griner had had enough. They exchanged baskets, and Sabally couldn’t miss from deep. Phantom took control of the game and were up 62-57 entering the fourth.
With Phantom needing just 11 points to end the game, Mist played with urgency in the final quarter. Time wasn’t a factor, and Jackson and Stewart kept piling on points. Stewart scored the last seven points for Mist, getting her club within three points. But Griner ended the game on a fadeaway over Smith to put her team in the win column.
Laces remain team to beat
Laces might not have the flashiest names in Unrivaled, but they have great size, bigs that can pass and guards that can shoot. They also had a balanced attack on Friday night, with every player scoring in double figures. Tiffany Hayes led the way in this one with a game-high 26 points.
Dearica Hamby had a superb game for Vinyl, scoring 18 points, grabbing six rebounds and earning four steals. Vinyl made a late push but couldn’t out-execute Laces during the game’s final possessions.
During the opening minutes, this game was evenly matched. The trio of Hamby, Arike Ogunbowale and Rhyne Howard were scoring with ease for Vinyl, and McBride, Alyssa Thomas and Hayes were doing the same for Vinyl. In the second quarter, Rae Burrell propelled a 7-0 run for Vinyl to take the lead. Laces, however, went on a run of their own as Kate Martin began finding her shot. They lead by as many as nine, but Vinyl salvaged the quarter by ending on a 4-0 run to cut the lead down to just five at the break.
In the third, it was all Laces. Martin was hitting 3-pointers, Hayes looked like the most skilled player on the floor and Stef Dolson got in on the fun with some crafty finishes near the rim.
With the Laces up by nine to start the fourth, it was just too much for Vinyl to overcome. Ogunbowale certainly applied pressure and hit a pair of shots from deep to nearly complete the comeback, but McBride sealed the game with a drive to the basket.
Key Takeaways
It’s clear Laces are the team to beat in Unrivaled. They seem perfectly balanced for this style of play and have fantastic chemistry just two weeks in. Mist may be without a win, but they’ve shown promise. Jackson certainly seems to be displaying why she’ll be one of the best women’s basketball players in due time.
Mist will now shift their focus to their upcoming game against Rose, and Phantom will prepare to play against the Lunar Owls. Both matchups will take place on Saturday. Laces and Vinyl return to the court on Monday.
