In just its second season, the Mist Basketball Club defeated the Phantom Basketball Club 80-74 to win the Unrivaled championship on March 4.
Unrivaled is a professional women’s basketball league designed to give top players a competitive offseason in the U.S. This league was co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, who wanted to create an alternative to playing overseas while and giving players more control over their careers.
Instead of the traditional 5-on-5, Unrivaled games are played 3-on-3 on a condensed full court with a shorter shot clock of 18 seconds, instead of WNBA’s 24 seconds, allowing for quicker scoring opportunities.
Games consist of three seven-minute quarters. After the third quarter, the winning score is determined by adding 11 points to the leading team’s score.
The teams then play and race to reach a target score instead of a final buzzer. Instead of taking multiple free throws, players take one free throw worth the point value of the attempted shot.
Stewart, the MVP of the final, led the Mist with 32 points, an Unrivaled career high. The Phantom’s Kelsey Plum scored 40 points, an Unrivaled playoff record, to lead the team without an injured Aliyah Boston, but it was not enough to capture the title.
The game started off quickly as Allisha Gray scored the first points from the free-throw line and Veronica Burton knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Mist an early lead.
The Phantom responded hot from beyond the arc, with Plum knocking down multiple three-pointers, pushing her team ahead. Alanna Smith and Arike Ogunbowale helped the Mist tie the game 24-24 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter began with Ogunbowale stealing the ball off Plum’s bad pass, finishing a fast-break layup to put the Mist up early. Both teams traded baskets, keeping the score close.
In the final seconds of the quarter, Stewart hit a step-back three to put the Mist ahead. Natasha Cloud answered with a buzzer-beating three to tie the game 43-43 at halftime.
Stewart was in control offensively during the third quarter, upping the Mist’s momentum and leading 55-45 midway through the quarter. Phantom chipped in buckets to cut the lead, but Ogunbowale answered with a 3-pointer and a driving layup in the final seconds, pushing the Mist ahead 68-62 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Mist started the fourth quarter strong as Gray scored a layup and blocked shots from Plum and Cloud.
Nearing the end, an offensive foul was called on Stewart, but the Mist immediately challenged it. On review, the call was overturned and the Phantom’s Tiffany Hayes fouled out, giving Stewart a free-throw to win 80-74.
All six Mist players will earn $100,000 for the victory, $50,000 more than every player earned for last season’s championship.
In just its second season, the future looks promising for Unrivaled as it continues to expand opportunities for women’s basketball.
