Kelsey Plum’s Phantom BC Takes on Mist in the Unrivaled Championship
Arike Ogunbowale Secures Victory with Game-Winning Shot on 29th Birthday
NEW YORK — Arike Ogunbowale marked her 29th birthday in dramatic fashion Monday night, sinking a game-winning 3-pointer at the Barclays Center, propelling her team, Mist, into the Unrivaled championship game.
Ogunbowale, a standout at Notre Dame, is no stranger to high-pressure performances. She previously led the Fighting Irish to a national title in 2018, sealing victories in both the Final Four and the championship game with clutch shots from beyond the arc. However, this moment carried added significance for Ogunbowale. “It may not be the same level, but that’s more money than I made in college, 100K on the line,” she said with a laugh.
With this victory, Mist has positioned itself for a shot at a $600,000 prize pool to be awarded to the winning team on Wednesday. They will face off against the top-seeded Phantom BC in Miami.
Phantom BC clinched its spot in the final with a strong performance from Kelsey Plum, who scored 31 points in an 83-75 semifinal victory over Vinyl.
The decision to move the semifinals to New York followed the league’s successful event in Philadelphia in late January, which attracted over 21,490 fans. This venue was particularly meaningful for Unrivaled co-founder Stewart, who led the New York Liberty to its first WNBA championship in 2024.
The semifinal games drew a vibrant crowd of 18,261, featuring sports icons like Carmelo Anthony and Sue Bird, as well as actors Ashton Kutcher and Jason Sudeikis. The audience gave a warm welcome to Liberty guard Natasha Cloud as she was introduced before the first game, igniting excitement among fans.
Cloud played a pivotal role in Phantom’s comeback from a 59-50 deficit during the third quarter, orchestrating key plays that put her team ahead 71-64 by the start of the final quarter. Although Vinyl managed to close the gap to 78-75, Phantom sealed the game with the final five points, capped by Plum’s fadeaway 3-pointer.
Vinyl was aiming for redemption after losing to Rose BC in last year’s championship. The team’s efforts were led by Dearica Hamby, who tallied 30 points.
In the second semifinal, Breeze quickly built a strong lead, with Rickea Jackson scoring 13 points in the first quarter to push the score to 26-10. Despite trailing at the half, Mist fought back, with Stewart making significant contributions to tie the game before Ogunbowale clinched the victory with a tough corner 3-pointer.
Paige Bueckers also shone for Breeze, scoring 17 points and securing 10 rebounds.
In other developments, Chelsea Gray of Rose BC was awarded the league’s MVP on Monday night. Gray had previously excelled in Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament and averaged 24.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists throughout the season. She set a record in assists, breaking her own previous mark with 85 in 14 games, and tied the league for single-game 3-pointers with 10.
Gray expressed her gratitude upon receiving the MVP trophy. “I want to say thank you to everyone who voted. I love this game. Want to be great every night, and that’s always my goal,” she stated. “Women’s basketball is where it’s at, as shown by all you guys coming out and watching us compete every single night.”
