It's official. The second-ever Unrivaled championship will be a face-off between No. 1 Phantom BC and No. 2 Mist BC for the final crown. Both semifinal matchups were nail-biters; Phantom ultimately overtook Vinyl, and Mist came back in the fourth quarter to defeat Breeze BC.
Phantom leader, Kelsey Plum had a massive night, recording 31 points. Kiki Iriafen knew she'd have to play a larger role due to 2026 Defensive Player of the Year, Aliyah Boston, being ruled out of the playoffs due to injury. Iriafen finished the night with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
On the other hand, some members of Mist had themselves a night, as well — specifically the bench players. Arike Ogunbowale finished the night with 21 points, including a 3-pointer to seal the game. Alanna Smith also showed off her shooting, putting 3-of-3 through the net from beyond the arc. With two star-studded teams in the championship, we're bound to get some electric matchups. Here are a few to look out for.
Breanna Stewart vs. Kiki Iriafen
As I mentioned, Aliyah Boston will not be suiting up for Phantom through the playoffs. This puts Kiki Iriafen in the starting lineup. Breanna Stewart is no small feat, but I think Iriafen has proven herself more than capable through this Unrivaled season. She will need to be just aggressive enough in the paint to put pressure on Stewie without getting into foul trouble.
When Stewart is not on the court, Alanna Smith takes her place. Smith will also be a tough matchup for Iriafen, especially if she gets comfortable shooting from anywhere. The last time these two clubs faced off, Iriafen put up her biggest numbers of the season, recording 20 points. She will not only need to perform offensively, but also keep Stewie from getting too hot.
Allisha Gray/Arike Ogunbowale vs. Natasha Cloud
Natasha Cloud showed up on both ends of the floor against Vinyl in the semifinal. Phantom was Plus-12 with Cloud on the court. I cannot wait to see how she competes against two of the most dynamic guards at Unrivaled in a championship environment. Last time the two clubs faced off, Cloud found herself in foul trouble, picking up five in less than 12 minutes on the court. But she also hit the game-winning three. Cloud staying out of foul trouble and performing on offense, either by finding her teammates or getting to the net herself, will be what Phantom needs.
Gray and Ogunbowale, on the other hand, have bags as deep as they come. We know both of them can get hot from three quickly, but we've seen some crafty drives to the bucket this season, too. Even if just one of them gets too comfortable, it will be trouble for the Phantom.
Veronica Burton vs. Kelsey Plum
Kelsey Plum absolutely can make or break this game for Phantom. Plum has scored 20 or more points in five of the last six games. In the semifinal, she shot 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Veronica Burton will have to lock Plum down defensively from the very beginning. This will force other Phantom players, like Cloud and Tiffany Hayes, to step up.
Mist doesn't necessarily need Burton to have insane offensive production. For example, last night, the Mist were able to pull out the victory with Burton only recording 6 points and 3 rebounds. If she can focus on putting pressure on Plum, she will be helping Mist enough by possibly getting her out of rhythm.