Unrivaled Basketball Week 5: Risers and Fallers

Week 5 of Unrivaled has concluded, with just under three weeks remaining until the playoffs begin. Two teams clinched playoff spots over the weekend, leaving four spots open.

Besides Mist BC, which is on the verge of clinching, there is no clear-cut team with high odds of clinching a spot. However, two teams will need to win now to keep their chances alive.

Photo courtesy of Unrivaled

Risers:

Hive BC

Following a massive comeback win over Breeze BC, Hive BC is keeping its hopes alive. This club showed the kind of fight that teams need this late in the season when every possession matters. Down 15, Hive BC rallied together as a team to have a historic comeback victory.

The Hive are BUZZINGGG another DUB pic.twitter.com/VV94Dp0VF2

— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 7, 2026

With standout performances from Kelsey Mitchell, Sonia Citron, and Monique Billings, Hive showed it remains in the playoff race. What stands out is its composure and lack of panic, its trust in the system, shot selection, and late execution when the pressure was highest. At this point in the season, winning is what matters, even if it’s ugly.

Hive BC went 1-0 this weekend, but the quality of this win may be one of the most important of the season as the club remains firmly in the hunt for a final playoff spot.

Phantom BC

Phantom BC clinched a playoff spot and did it with authority, finishing 2-0 this weekend in convincing fashion.

Although the club ended up playing catch-up against Vinyl BC, they played like a team that knows exactly who they are. Their offensive flow looks natural, the ball moves side to side, and, most importantly, they take care of the ball. This weekend wasn’t about surviving; it was about control.

Kelsey Plum said it best—this team was written off, and people picked them to finish dead last in the rankings. However, this club has shown how hard everybody has worked.

Phantom is putting everyone on notice Catch more of the ghost gang tonight on TNT at 7:30 pm ET! pic.twitter.com/Q7y70swSiH

— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 9, 2026

Two 30+ bombs from Plum and Aliyah Boston helped lead the club to victory against Vinyl, proving that this roster can lean on anybody, or everybody, when it matters.

Overall, both wins showed Phantom’s ability to dictate tempo and win games even after falling into a deficit. Clinching the postseason is the result of weeks of consistent play, not just this weekend. Phantom has steadily climbed into this position, and now they enter the playoffs looking like one of the most balanced teams in Unrivaled.

Laces BC

Laces BC went 1-0 and became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, continuing to set the tone for the rest of the league. The Laces remain the best club in Unrivaled, and it doesn’t look like they are slowing down. This is the championship favorite, and rightfully so.

CLINCHED You can catch Laces BC in the PLAYOFFS! pic.twitter.com/7PQu5yACnm

— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 7, 2026

Even with just one game played last week, Laces showed why they’ve been the standard all season. Their efficiency stands out every week; they don’t waste possessions, they don’t force shots, and they rarely beat themselves. This weekend was another example of their disciplined approach on both ends of the floor.

What separates Laces is their ability to close. They trust their spacing, reads, and decision-making. That’s why they’re not just in the playoffs, they’re the team everyone else is chasing.

Clinching first isn’t a surprise. It’s a reflection of how consistently they’ve played since the start of the season.

Mist BC

Mist BC went 1-1 this weekend and currently sits third in the official Unrivaled standings.

A split weekend might not immediately scream “riser,” but Mist’s position in the standings tells the real story. While other teams around them are stumbling or dropping key games, Mist BC is holding steady in the upper tier. This club is the next best team behind the two clinched clubs, and that’s what separates them from the rest.

Their win showed their ability to control the game defensively and limit mistakes. Even in their loss, they didn’t look outmatched; they simply didn’t shoot better than Phantom BC, and that happens. Mist BC competed, executed stretches well, and stayed within striking distance. That level of steadiness is huge this late in the season. The box score might show a 12-point loss, but the game was close until the end of the third quarter.

The Mist isn’t flashy. They’re consistent. And consistency is exactly what keeps teams in a strong playoff position while the race below them becomes chaotic. There shouldn’t be any concern about this club; they are in a good position relative to everyone else.

Fallers:

Vinyl BC

The most inconsistent club falls right back to the Fallers list after having a strong Week 4. Vinyl BC finished 0-2 this weekend, and once again, momentum disappeared just as quickly as it arrived.

Vinyl struggled to maintain control in both matchups. Defensive lapses, rushed possessions, and difficulty closing out quarters allowed opponents to build separation. This is the pattern that has defined their season: flashes of promise followed by performances that undo all the progress.

Against Rose BC, the Vinyl were mounting a comeback but couldn’t capitalize. Against Phantom BC, the score was 60-41 with three minutes left in the third. Eventually, a Kelsey Plum three in the fourth put the Phantom in position to win the game. Yet again, it was another game the Vinyl had full control of and lost.

At this point, losses like these are more damaging because of the standings. Every game matters now, and Vinyl let two slip away during a crucial stretch of the schedule.

If they want to stay alive in the playoff race, the inconsistency has to stop immediately. The Vinyl are in sixth place, but Hive BC is right behind them. This weekend, Vinyl needed to at least win one game, but now they are on the verge of being outside the playoff contention.

Lunar Owls BC

Lunar Owls BC went 0-1 this weekend, and with so few games each week, that single loss carries significant weight. Although they do get credit for going toe-to-toe with Laces BC, moral victories this late in the season aren’t enough.

The Owls had an opportunity to keep pace with the teams in the middle of the standings, but instead fell further behind. The game itself showed competitive stretches, but they were unable to sustain offense when it mattered most.

Right now, the margin for error is gone. One loss can change positioning dramatically, and Lunar Owls are now in a tougher spot because of it. There isn’t much hope for their playoff odds right now, but if they can put together a final winning streak, they have a chance.

Rose BC

Rose BC went 1-1 this weekend, which at this stage of the season feels like standing still.

They aren’t collapsing, but they aren’t gaining ground either. The win showed their potential when things clicked offensively, but the loss highlighted the inconsistency that has kept them from climbing higher in the standings.

Rose BC is stuck in the middle, and with teams above them clinching playoff spots, “middle” is no longer a comfortable place to be.

The defending champions’ outlook doesn’t look so great, but their regular-season record was 8-6 last year, and they won it all. The starting three are still putting up double digits; it just comes down to consistency for everybody at this point. Now that Angel Reese has signed with the club, it will be interesting to see how far they can go.

Unrivaled standings through week 5.

Playoff predictions? pic.twitter.com/LbPbWt372t

— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) February 11, 2026

Breeze BC

Breeze BC went 0-1 this weekend and let a game they controlled for long stretches slip away against Hive BC.

This loss hurts because Breeze had the early command. They dictated pace, built a lead, and looked in position to secure a much-needed win. But as the game tightened, execution faltered, and Hive BC took advantage.

Late-game composure is becoming a concern. The club is playing well enough to win games, but struggling to finish them. And with only four playoff spots remaining, missed opportunities like this could prove costly. For the Breeze to win games, everyone needs to play a significant role, which is another reason they lost to the Hive. However, this team is still a threat.

Ideally, Breeze BC is currently in fourth place and wants to stay there. However, they can’t let losses like Friday night’s affect them. The roster is still relatively young, regardless of their recent trade. The team still has huge upside with that youth, and they can easily slip into the playoffs.