MEDLEY, Fla. — Since Unrivaled began two months ago, the Rose basketball club has stewed over a square piece of paper, clipped by a magnet, on their whiteboard.
The paper listed ESPN’s preseason rankings for the inaugural season of the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league. The Rose were predicted to finish in last place behind the Lunar Owls, Phantom, Vinyl, Mist and Laces. It’s been a sore subject Rose stars Angel Reese and Brittney Sykes discussed in postgame interviews – even with the games broadcast by Turner Sports.
The first Unrivaled season will end with the Rose having the last laugh.
Sykes scored a driving layup and the game-winning free throw to finish with 21 points, and the Rose beat the Vinyl 62-54 to win Unrivaled’s first championship on Monday night.
Azurá Stevens had 19 points and 18 rebounds, while Chelsea Gray scored 18 points with eight assists for the Rose.
Gray was voted Unrivaled Playoff MVP after helping the Rose overcome a 1-4 start to win the league’s first title. Gray set the Unrivaled record with 39 points in the Rose’s semifinal win over the Laces to help them advance to the title game.
Reese, the Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year and All-Unrivaled second-team standout, did not play for the Rose in the two-game playoffs. She was not in attendance for Monday’s title game, but cheered from the sidelines one day earlier.
Each player on the championship club will earn a $50,000 bonus.
The Vinyl were led by Rhyne Howard’s 22 points, while Dearica Hamby and Aliyah Boston each scored 10 points in the loss.
Follow along here for live updates from the Unrivaled championship game on Monday night:
Unrivaled third quarter score: Rose 51, Vinyl 49
Target winning score: 62
It’s a race to 62 points for the first Unrivaled championship, heading into the fourth quarter.
Chelsea Gray scored a buzzer-beating three beyond half court, and the Rose lead 51-49 over the Vinyl after the third quarter.
Gray has 12 points and eight assists, while Azurá Stevens leads the Rose with 19 points. Rhyne Howard leads the Vinyl with 19 points.
Unrivaled halftime score: Vinyl 37, Rose 32
Rhyne Howard scored a three-pointer to close out the second quarter, and the Vinyl rebounded from a first-quarter deficit to take a 37-32 lead over the Rose at halftime.
Howard leads the Vinyl with 13 points, while Dearica Hamby has eight points and five rebounds in the first half.
Chelsea Gray, who scored an Unrivaled record 39 points in Sunday’s semifinal against the Laces, has just three points in the first half. But she is fueling the Rose with six assists.
Brittney Sykes has 14 points, while Azurá Stevens has 13 points and nine rebounds for the Rose.
Unrivaled first quarter score: Rose 19, Vinyl 16
Chelsea Gray showed some flair with a no-look pass to Azurá Stevens as the Rose jumped out to a 19-16 lead over the Vinyl at the end of the first quarter.
Stevens leads the Rose with eight points and five rebounds, while Gray has three points and three assists.
Dearica Hamby has six points, a rebound and two steals in the first quarter for the Vinyl.
What time does Unrivaled playoff game begin Monday?
The Rose and Vinyl will begin at 7:30 p.m ET.
How to watch Unrivaled championship game?
The Unrivaled title game is available on TNT and TruTV on cable television, and to live stream on Max in the United States.
Angel Reese unlikely to play in Unrivaled championship due to injury
Reese, of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, is unlikely to play in Monday’s game for the Rose club after injuring her surgically repaired left hand during the Unrivaled regular-season finale last week. Reese watched from the sidelines as the Rose beat the Lunar Owls on Sunday, wearing a brace on her left hand.
How the Rose reached Unrivaled final game
Chelsea Gray scored an Unrivaled high 39 points, including a game-winning three pointer, to help the Rose beat the No. 3 Laces 73-67 in the first semifinal Sunday. The Rose used a 23-12 third quarter to overcome a 40-27 at halftime, and outscored the Vinyl 13-5 in the fourth quarter to win despite having no other player score in double figures.
How the Vinyl reached Unrivaled final game
Dearica Hamby scored a driving layup over league MVP Napheesa Collier to help the Vinyl upset the No. 1 seed Lunar Owls 73-70 during the second semifinal game Sunday. Rhyne Howard led the Vinyl with 23 points, while Jordin Canada scored 10 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 62-52 deficit after the third quarter. Hamby finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds in the win. Collier scored 36 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the loss.
Rose-Vinyl final features Unrivaled women coaches
It’s almost fitting Unrivaled’s first final will feature Rose coach Nola Henry and Vinyl coach Teresa Witherspoon — the only two women coaches in the league. Henry led the Rose to the No. 2 seed after a 1-4 start, while Witherspoon led the Vinyl to the title game as the lowest playoff seed in the four-team field.
Rose-Vinyl season series
The Rose leads the season-series over the Vinyl 2-1, heading into the Unrivaled championship game.
The Vinyl beat the Rose 79-73 on opening night (Jan. 18) behind Rhyne Howard’s 33 points with Dearica Hamby’s 17 points and 13 rebounds.
The Rose beat the Vinyl 61-55 behind Chelsea Gray’s 26 points on Feb. 18. And in the March 10 regular season finale, the Rose dominated the Vinyl 74-46.