Capping off the fifth week of Unrivaled Monday night, Phantom met Rose and Laces met Mist. It is crunch time now, and while Mist and Phantom have a long way to go to make the playoffs, it isn’t out of the question.
In the first game, Phantom met Rose, who has been tearing it up lately. Looking for their fifth win in a row, Rose came out firing on all cylinders. Spearheaded by Chelsea Gray, everyone on the team contributed as their energy level continued to rise. Starting with Lexie Hull‘s opening three-point shot, which was then matched by Phantom’s Satou Sabally, the game immediately took off, and never seemed to let up.
Angel Reese, who posted another double-double looked particularly sharp, playing with more discipline and focus. At one point, Reese was on the sidelines talking to Gray, and the focus and attention Reese gave to Gray is a good indication of how seriously Reese takes the game. Aside from her outspoken personality, this is a young player who wants to learn, and that is going to continue to serve her well.
Rose shot out to a ten-point lead after the first quarter, 28 – 18. Phantom, with all their potential scoring power, didn’t seem to be in sync. However, in the second quarter, they shifted gears and took a 38 – 36 lead on a Sabally two-point shot. Brittney Sykes tied the game for Rose with a two-pointer, and with 37 seconds left, Hull hit a three to put Rose up 41 – 38 at the half.
A Game-Changing Third Quarter
The third quarter saw Rose pull ahead again and Phantom lost what they had gained in the second quarter. Rose at one point had a 57 – 42 lead capped by a Reese two-point shot. But Phantom started to fight back, and by quarter’s end had clawed their way back to a five-point deficit with Rose leading 59 – 54. This made the winning score 70, which was still within Phantom’s reach. However, Rose outscored Phantom 12 – 5, capping the win on a Gray point shot, giving Rose a 71 – 59 victory.
HOLD THE PHONE ☎️ CHELSEA GRAY CALLED GAME
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 25, 2025
Rose now has a 5 game-win streak 🔥🌹 pic.twitter.com/SNzN6hSuhE
There were moments in this game when Phantom looked sluggish, and considering the potential scoring power, surprisingly ineffective. Sabally, Sabrina Ionescu, Katie Lou Samuelson, Brittney Griner, and Natasha Cloud all have high-scoring capabilities. Something is missing though. It is going to take an enormous boost to get them out of the cellar and into the playoffs.
Rose, however, continues to roll and build steam. With Gray and Reese leading the way, they are becoming a legitimate contender. Hull, who had a very good game, needs to find some more consistency to get more minutes and continue to make an impact. Her 13-point contribution in this game was a good indication of what she can do. Rose just needs more of it.
A Must-Win Game Two in Unrivaled
In the second game, Laces met Mist, both in need of a win. Laces, who started the season at 4 – 0 now stand at 5 – 5 and in third place. Mist, who have struggled all season, were 2 – 7 going into this game. A loss may very well have knocked them out of a potential playoff spot.
The game started slowly, with neither team looking particularly sharp. The teams were tied at 11 – 11, and again, considering the players was a real head-scratcher. The second quarter was marginally better, with more accurate shooting. The teams stayed close, and with 26 seconds remaining, Alyssa Thomas hit a two-pointer for Laces, tying the game at 27 all. 12 seconds later, Breanna Stewart hit a two, and the half ended with Mist up 29 – 27.
Quarter number three saw more of the back-and-forth scoring, with Laces pulling ahead with shots by Kayla McBride and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.
Mist came back to break a 43 – 43 tie on a key bucket from DiJonai Carrington. Mist stayed focused and managed to build a 53 – 45 lead going into the fourth quarter. With a winning score of 64, Mist took control of the fourth quarter and showed what the team was capable of doing. Stewart, Carrington, and Courtney Vandersloot carried the team, playing some of their best basketball of the season. A two-point shot by Stewart secured the win at 65 – 49.
Stew seals the W with a game winning jumper for the Mist😶🌫️ pic.twitter.com/ZcDWhDaTkO
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 25, 2025
Now, the Mist is in fifth place at 3 – 7 and is behind Vinyl at 4 – 6. Laces stand at 5 – 5. With two more weeks left, there is still time for some surprises. Lunar Owls at 9 – 1 would have to have a major collapse to fall out of first place, but Rose is right on their heels. They meet again on March 7, and Lunar Owls will be looking to avenge their only loss which was to Rose.
It’s going to be an exciting end to this first season.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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