Unrivaled opening week delivered, and there are several key moments that occurred over the weekend.
Photo courtesy of Unrivaled
Co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled is a three-on-three women’s professional basketball league in Miami. Composed of eight teams, the league delivers a unique, fast-paced style of basketball. Additionally, the league features three seven-minute quarters, while the fourth quarter operates with a target score. The first team to reach that mark wins.
Broadcast for four consecutive nights on TNT, HBO Max, and truTV, Unrivaled offers athletes a salary north of $200,000 with the opportunity to stay stateside. To avoid back-to-back matchups, the league has meticulously staggered them every Friday through Monday.
Ballislife breaks down the best moments and highlights from Unrivaled Week 1…
Unrivaled Week 1 Schedule and Game Results
1/9
1/10
1/11
1/12
Rose BC 69, Vinyl BC 67
Phantom BC 94, Lunar Owls BC 60
Rose BC 73, Breeze BC 69
Phantom BC 64, Mist BC 61
Breeze BC 73, Hive BC 62
Mist BC 83, Laces BC 81
Vinyl BC 89, Hive BC 66
Laces BC 84, Lunar Owls 72
Rose BC Comeback Against Vinyl
Rose BC is undefeated at 3-0, and the club has proven why they are the favorite to win this year’s championship (+350).
Friday’s matchup didn’t disappoint, as the showdown between Rose BC and Vinyl BC signaled a rematch of last season’s inaugural championship. Notably defeating Vinyl 62-54, Rose won the first-ever Unrivaled championship, powered by Chelsea Gray, who buried the final shot. Scoring 23 points, Gray was crowned Finals MVP.
Friday marked a slow start for Rose, who trailed Vinyl 19-11 after the first quarter. Powered by Dearica Hamby in the paint, Vinyl kept control in the second quarter, thanks to Rae Burrell’s nine consecutive points. Committed to a starting lineup of Gray, Lexie Hull, and Azurà Stevens, Rose couldn’t shake Hamby’s persistent mismatch on Hull. Trailing 39-29 at the half, Rose appeared to be out of answers.
That was until the third quarter, which is often the most critical stretch in Unrivaled. Gray is the catalyst of the offense, as she’s considered one of the most elite point guards ever to play the game. Known as the “Point Gawd” for a reason, Gray asserts her excellence as she leads the league with 31.7 points, five rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
CHELSEA GRAY OMG
ROSE WIN AFTER TRAILING THE ENTIRE GAME pic.twitter.com/QrnV5Pxwlh
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) January 10, 2026
Chelsea Gray Continues to Shine
Using the pick-and-roll to split the defense for a pull-up mid-range or utilizing Stevens’ screen for a 3-point shot, Gray does it all. While Rose boasted a well-balanced scoring act in the third, it was Gray who took charge.
Momentum started to shift mid-way through the third quarter after Gray muscled her way into the lane, driving over Erica Wheeler. Creating looks in transition off defense stops, Rose cut the deficit to four points by the end of the quarter.
Outscoring Vinyl 15-9, it was all Gray, who scored nine points in the final quarter. Down 67-61 with a target score of 69, it was all but over for the club. Just one bucket away from a loss, Nola Henry remained committed to utilizing a double-big lineup consisting of Stevens and Shakira Austin alongside Gray. Exploiting mismatches—it was Gray who came up with the block on Courtney Williams, followed by a 3-pointer in transition.
Holding Vinyl defensively on the last two possessions, the Point Gawd called game with a pick-and-roll three. Defeating Vinyl 69-67, Gray led the squad with 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists. With four players scoring in double-figures, Henry coached her way through a smaller lineup of Rhyne Howard, Williams, and Hamby by deploying a bigger lineup.
Rose is now undefeated on the season (3-0), and Gray led the way with 37 points to propel the club over Breeze, 73-69. This club has the perfect amount of size, x-factors (Sug Sutton, Lexie Hull), and leadership in Gray. It’s worth noting that Kahleah Copper hasn’t played a minute of basketball this season.
Breeze BC Can Hang
Created alongside Hive BC as Unrivaled’s newest expansion franchises, Breeze BC is loaded with young talent. Not to mention, the club features players with previous three-on-three experience.
Aside from veteran guard Aari McDonald, all five of the club’s players were featured in the past two WNBA Drafts. With two previous No.1 picks in Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga, this squad includes top 2024 WNBA Draft picks and Los Angeles Sparks teammates, Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink. Overall, this team has five top-five WNBA draft picks.
Let’s not forget Kate “Money” Martin, who instantly rose as a fan favorite with the Las Vegas Aces and was later selected by the Golden State Valkyries as part of the expansion draft.
The youngest club in Unrivaled has an average age of just 23.8 years old, but age is just a number, right?
Prior to the season, fans received an early glimpse, highlighted by footage of Bueckers’ pick-and-roll lobs to Malonga. Folks, this wasn’t a drill—this squad has proven their authority early on.
Kicking off opening night with a 69-62 victory over Phantom, Breeze pressed forward on Friday. Securing a 73-62 victory over Hive BC, Breeze has the perfect mixture of cohesion, kinship, and size. It also helps that Bueckers and Brink won gold with the 2019 USA Basketball U19 National Team in Thailand.
The Young and Turnt Crew
Paige Bueckers – 16p 10r 7a
Dominique Malonga – 15p 13r
Cameron Brink – 14p 5r 62%
Rickea Jackson – 16p 6r 2a
Kate Martin – 12p 3r pic.twitter.com/0yxDiqHwNk
— BreezeBC (@breezebcupdates) January 10, 2026
Well-Balanced and Versatile
Led by former Seattle Storm player and coach Noelle Quinn, all six players available recorded points in double-figures, with Bueckers leading the way with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. With Malonga and Brink combining for 29 points and 18 rebounds, Jackson and Martin rounded out the game with 16 and 12 points each.
Third in the league with 10.7 rebounds per game, Malonga has the length and size advantage over most teams, at 6-foot-6. Following a block on Storm teammate Ezi Magbegor, her most impressive showing early on in the matchup was her ability to push the pace for a bucket in transition. While three-on-three doesn’t always cater to taller players, Malonga fits this style of basketball seamlessly.
Creating screens for teammates and dominating on the boards, Malonga recorded three offensive rebounds that contributed to Breeze’s 10 second-chance points.
Outscoring Hive 21-12 in back-to-back quarters, Breeze commanded a 42-24 halftime lead. Despite shooting 1-13 (7.7%), the club adjusted the game plan when the shots weren’t falling. Dubbed as “Midrange Mommy” by studio analyst Renee Montgomery, Bueckers kept finding her mid-range game off strong screens from both Brink and Malonga.
Rickea Jackson is The X-Factor
Perhaps the biggest x-factor on this squad is Jackson. While she’s improved her scoring—whether it’s mid-range fadeaway shots, threes, or driving to the rim—Jackson impacted the box score in numerous ways. With six rebounds, two assists, and a block, Jackson showcased that she’s elite in one-on-one play yet is extremely vital to this team’s success. A true 3-level scorer, Jackson knows how to push the pace, especially in transition.
It’s evident this team isn’t led by one player, and in each quarter, different players stepped up. In the first quarter, it was Brink and Jackson who combined for 12 first-quarter points. While Kate Martin scored 10 first-half points off the bench, Malonga went on a run herself with five straight points in the third quarter. Ultimately, it was Bueckers who called game; this is an exceptionally balanced team.
While Rose handed Breeze its first loss of the season later in the weekend, we’ve seen that Breeze can hang with the top dogs. Losing to Gray and company by just four points, Breeze is a team that’s here to stay and make a run. While unable to combat Gray’s 37-point outing, Rickea and Malonga combined for 40 points.
Mist Secures Narrow Victory Over Laces
Perhaps one of the most exciting matchups of the week included Mist BC’s 83-81 victory over Laces BC. 2-1 on the season, Mist has constructed a multidimensional roster that excels on both sides of the ball. With Alanna Smith and Breanna Stewart anchoring the frontcourt, the backcourt includes Arike Ogunbowale and Allisha Gray. Can you say bucket getters? Not to mention, two-way guard Veronica Burton. Top to bottom, this team is stacked.
A top scorer last season, Gray returns, this time with an Unrivaled career-high 28 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Erupting for nine points alone in a high-scoring first quarter (26-26), Gray finished the night, shooting 9-18 (50%) from the field, 3-10 (30%) from three, and 3-4 (75%) from the charity stripe.
I’ll admit, I was a bit leery that Mist BC head coach Zach O’Brien chose to reconstruct the starting lineup, this time with Ogunbowale, Stewart, and Smith. While the first unit is often based on matchups, I couldn’t understand why Gray wasn’t listed as a starter despite being one of their primary scorers.
Allisha Gray Leads Mist with Career Night
Either way, she led the team, accounting for eight of the club’s first 11 points in the third quarter, and hit the game-tying three after Stewart’s double-team. Coast-to-coast in transition, Gray has proven to showcase why she’s one of the best to get downhill. Utilizing the pick-and-roll with Stewart to sidestep a 3-pointer to back door cuts, Gray was essential in finding her teammates using high-low sets.
Her best play of the night came on a potential game-winning possession for the Laces, when Gray locked down Sykes, forcing her to miss the shot.
Overall, Mist didn’t hold a lead for most of the game, trailing by 10 points in the second quarter. Chipping away at the deficit possession by possession, they were able to overcome the two-player dominance between Alyssa Thomas and Jackie Young, along with Brittney Sykes’s 29-point career outing.
“Nobody can guard me. I’m not gonna be exposed. I know I’m a bucket, so be a bucket” -the birthday girl Allisha Gray of Mist BC talks the talk & walks the walk! One of my fave interviews from opening week of @Unrivaledwbb Season 2 on @TNTSportsUS! Catch games every Friday,… pic.twitter.com/AXTfwMwJmb
— Ros Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) January 12, 2026
Mayhem in the Final Moments
Down 74-61 in the third quarter, it was Smith and Stewart who continuously battled in the post, and perhaps the most critical moment of the game included Burton’s put-back following a miss from Gray.
Similar to Rose, Mist was on the edge of collapse, given that the Laces were just one point away from a target score of 82 points after a Sykes bucket. With Mist trailing 81-79, a chaotic series of several pick-and-pop attempts, followed by offensive rebounds by Burton and Stewart, ultimately led to a game-tying floater by Stewart.
Tied 81 all, Burton and Stewart’s defensive heroics led to a Jackie Young go-ahead missed shot. Followed by a series of chaotic events, a loose ball resulted in a jump ball. Winning the tip, Stewart couldn’t finish, while Burton stopped Thomas at the other end. Burton finished the night with 11 points off the bench, including seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
While initially Laces ball, Mist were awarded the possession, and Stewart eventually sank a game-winning free throw after fouled by Thomas. Stewart finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
The last sequence was pure havoc, filled with physicality, defense, and fatigue setting in. Ultimately, it was Mist who prevailed.
Dearica Hamby Sets League Record with 40 Points
Conceivably, the most impressive performance of the weekend came from Vinyl’s Dearica Hamby. Becoming the first player to ever score 40 points in Unrivaled, she erupted for 40 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists. In Vinyl’s 89-66 victory over Hive, Hamby shot 16-23 from the field and 5-6 from the charity stripe.
Contributing to Vinyl’s 42 paint points, Hamby didn’t have a problem against WNBA All-Defensive Team member Ezi Magbegor and Monique Billings. After all, we are talking about a USA Basketball three-on-three Olympic Gold Medalist.
While Hive has potential, only Natisha Hideman brings Unrivaled experience. Taking advantage of that, Hamby persisted inside over two defenders, including one-on-one with Magbegor. Scoring the first eight points of the game, there was no stopping Hamby. In fact, she finished with 24 first-half points!
With Vinyl focused on feeding Hamby early in action, she thrived in the pick-and-roll game alongside Rhyne Howard. With elite footwork that allows her to finish around the rim, Hamby continued to create scoring opportunities for herself, play after play.
Dearica Hamby with the first 40-point game in UNRIVALED history
The previous points record (38) belonged to Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier https://t.co/Nvi9QElU2U pic.twitter.com/CuuKxV9Nti
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 12, 2026
How Hamby Took Over Against Hive BC
Vinyl took a commanding 51-44 lead at the half, and Hamby extended her authority. Scoring 16 second-half points, she scored eight of the club’s final 11 points of the game.
This matchup remained within reach for Hive through the second quarter, and Vinyl kept feeding Hamby. Running the pick-and-roll with several teammates, including Rae Burrell, it’s clear Hive couldn’t guard the scheme. And with that, Hamby is nearly unstoppable coast to coast in a three-on-three setting.
In fact, the pick-and-roll scheme became so apparent that Vinyl often utilized Hamby as the screener, opening up Howard for threes. While I don’t have the exact stats, I would love to see the percentage of pick-and-roll schemes used by Vinyl.
Whether using screens, creating screens, rolling, cutting, or working inside, Hamby was relentless. Grabbing four rebounds alone, she was dominant against the bigs and capitalized on mismatches with Sonia Citron and others.
Following Hamby’s breakout performance, she’s the fifth favorite among sportsbooks to win Unrivaled MVP.
Kelsey Plum’s Game Winner for Phantom
Mist BC found themselves in two tight matchups this week, and Kelsey Plum capped off the week’s excitement with a game-winning shot. In Phantom’s 64-61 victory over Mist, Plum finished the night with 18 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. In a low-scoring affair and a poor offensive showing for both teams, Plum salvaged the night with another thrilling matchup that left me on the edge of my chair.
This was another close game for Mist, as there were five lead changes throughout this one. However, this matchup had a slow start for both teams. The old saying goes, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
Neither team could buy a 3-point shot early on, but Plum came alive, scoring seven points in under 60 seconds for Phantom in the third quarter following just two points in the first half.
Kelsey Plum tied Napheesa Collier’s record for most points in an UNRIVALED game: 38 PTS, 12 AST, 8 REB!
Scoring Leaders
Chelsea Gray: 29
Marina Mabrey: 27.5
Kelsey Plum: 25
Assists Leaders
Marina Mabrey: 8
Kelsey Plum: 7.5
Chelsea Gray: 6.5 pic.twitter.com/JwB8k3NL6f
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 11, 2026
With Phantom down 32-25 to open the third quarter, it was Plum who skillfully drove inside over Alanna Smith multiple times. During the stretch, Plum was left on her own island, hitting a three in transition, and was the driving force behind Phantom’s offensive third-quarter surge.
While Plum didn’t have a stellar defensive performance on the interior, she used her speed, pace, and overall game to exploit Mist. That included mid-range shots past the nail off pick-and-rolls, along with hunting her shots off PNRs with Kiki Iriafen. With Phantom effectively setting screens for Plum, her 3-pointer kept Phantom in reach by the final quarter.
With a fourth-quarter target score set for 63 points, Phantom pulled away, thanks to a team-high 19 points by Iriafen. Blowing a six-point lead, Mist prolonged the fight with the two-player game of Allisha Gray and Breanna Stewart. Just one point away from victory, Stewart continued to roll. Up 62-61, Plum and Iriafen ran a pick-in-roll in which Plum wrapped around the baseline.
The result? Plum hit the mid-range game-winning dagger in the face of Gray. This weekend, Plum tied Collier’s record for most points in an Unrivaled game with 38 against Lunar Owls.
Aaliyah Edwards Big Night
Former UConn standout Aaliyah Edwards made a name for herself in the inaugural season of Unrivaled. Notably, Edwards defeated Breanna Stewart 12-0 in the first-ever one-on-one tournament, but ultimately lost to Napheesa Collier in the championship. Since then, she’s put the league on notice.
Scoring an Unrivaled career-high 38 points, Edwards couldn’t carry her team to victory, as Lunar Owls BC dropped Monday’s showdown against Laces BC, 84-72.
AALIYAH EDWARDS TONIGHT
• 38 POINTS
• 13 REBOUNDS
• 16/19 FGpic.twitter.com/kNyLuHWKhK
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) January 13, 2026
Once the top dogs last season, the Lunar Owls will remain without Napheesa Collier, and Skylar Diggins has yet to play this season. It’s clear that both Edwards and Marina Mabrey are the top stars for this club, both combining for 64 of 72 points on Monday. Mabrey shot 10-24 from the field, adding four made 3-pointers, five rebounds, and six assists.
While personal fouls, turnovers, and lack of scoring outside Edwards and Mabrey are concerning, let’s focus on Edwards. Nearly dropping a 40-point bomb, Edwards shot 16-19 from the field in just shy of 21 minutes.
And I would like to shout out Brittney Sykes, who delivered another stellar performance with 25 points.
Week 2 of Unrivaled kicks off on Friday, Jan. 16, featuring Laces vs. Phantom and Rose vs. Hive.
The post Top Moments from Unrivaled Week 1! appeared first on Ballislife.com.
