Unrivaled Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands amid 1-on-1 Tournament
Another week, another round of Unrivaled power rankings!
It was an odd week on the 3x3 front. The schedule was already shortened (no Monday night games) due to the 1v1 tournament starting; we then had a game cancellation between the Laces and Vinyl due to a barrage of absences. Beyond anything else, I hope everyone is able to regain full health moving forward.
As for the one-on-one tournament: Buddy, it's been a blast!
Between Napheesa Collier walking the walk, an intense battle between Courtney Williams and Rhyne Howard, some rule-mastery and strategy from Skylar Diggins-Smith and others, and a Cinderella run from Aaliyah Edwards—she's knocked off Breanna Stewart and Allisha Gray with a combined score of 24-6!—you've gotten a little bit of everything heading into this weekend's (semi)finals. Here's the bracket heading into the weekend:
Naturally, there won't be a ton of team movement this time around, so we'll zoom out a bit plus sprinkle in some 1v1 commentary for this week's power rankings.
No. 6: Vinyl BC (2-4)
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Last Week's Ranking: 6th (No Movement)
Week in review: No Games
Big-Picture Thought: Consistent help for Dearica Hamby
I think it's fair to say that Hamby has been the team's MVP through this portion of the season, leading the squad in points (21.2), rebounds (10.4), and steals (1.6) while ranking second in assists (2.4).
I'd like for someone to emerge as the bona fide number 1—or take over to the point where Hamby slides into that slot. We've seen stretches of that from Arike Ogunbowale (more on her shortly), but she's mostly looked to facilitate (team-leading 3.8 assists) and defend so far. Rhyne Howard is second on the team in scoring (17.0), but it's been a bit uneven for her in terms of efficiency and overall shot diet.
I think an established hierarchy and a bit of consistency could help the Vinyl moving forward, especially in close games.
1v1 MVP: Arike Ogunbowale
After receiving an opening-round bye, a perk for being voted the No. 1 seed in her group, Ogunbowale pulled off back-to-back wins over Skylar Diggins-Smith (12-8) and former Wings teammate Satou Sabally (12-8) to advance to the semifinals.
Known mostly for her creative blend of pull-ups and stepbacks, Ogunbowale used a high volume of drives in the two matchups to score crucial baskets or get to the free-throw line. It's worth keeping an eye on those drives in light of her upcoming matchup with Aaliyah Edwards.
No. 5: Mist BC (2-6)
2 of 6
Last Week's Ranking: 4th (-1)
Week in review (0-2): 71-63 loss to Rose BC, 85-81 loss to Lunar Owls BC
Injury Notes: N/A
Big-Picture Thought: A more consistent Breanna Stewart is needed offensively
This was my preseason No. 2, largely off the strength of the team's versatility and ability to invert actions. Stewart was, figuratively and literally, the biggest reason for that excitement.
While Stewart has been prolific as a (help) defender so far—her length and instincts are reasons why Mist BC hasn't leaned into switching as much as other teams have—the offensive side of the ball has been uneven, at least to Stewart's standards.
She missed interior shots that she normally makes to kick off Unrivaled play. As it felt like that was turning a corner, the three-ball lagged behind. Over the most recent two-loss weekend—a pair of winnable games, especially the eventual loss to the top-ranked Lunar Owls where Mist BC held an eight-point lead entering the final quarter—Stewart shot a combined 11-of-27 on twos while only making one of her three attempts from downtown.
We're still waiting on a Classic Stewie performance. It'll happen—she's way too good for it not to—but it'll be nice if it comes soon, and in abundance.
1v1 MVP: Aaliyah Edwards
Edwards has been the story of the tournament so far.
Her run started with the biggest upset you could drum up: a 12-0 beatdown of top-seeded Stewart. Edward mixed in drives and jumpers—something we've been talking about in this space for a couple weeks now—and even capped with win with a side-step three.
As if that wasn't enough, Edwards then followed that up by knocking off another favorite, besting Allisha Gray in a 12-6 win. Edwards once again popped as a driver, and worked the offensive glass when her shot wouldn't fall.
She'll have her work cut out for her against Arike Ogunbowale in the semi-finals, but how comfortable do you feel betting against Edwards' size at this point?
No. 4: Phantom BC (2-5)
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Last Week's Ranking: 5th (+1)
Week in review (0-1): 94-76 loss to Lunar Owls BC
Injury Notes: No Marina Mabrey (right calf)
Big-Picture Thought: Balancing Brittney Griner
There are two competing thoughts with Phantom BC that I'm fascinated to watch play out once 3x3 play resumes.
Leaning into Griner's usage has led to more consistent and efficient offense for the group. What it has also done, however, is put them in a bit of a math disadvantage that they've struggled to overcome.
They've been outshot from three, from a volume perspective, in three of their last four games. And the threes they do generate have largely been off the bounce.
I wonder if they're able to use Griner's brilliance in different ways to actually force double teams—something we haven't seen much of, and may not see much of due to the format—and open up catch-and-shoot opportunities in the process.
1v1 MVP: Satou Sabally
As the lone Phantom player to advance during the 1v1 tournament, it's only right to give a quick shoutout to Sabally. She was a force on the glass (15 rebounds) in what was arguably the grittiest matchup of Tuesday's slate—an 11-4 victory over defensive stalwart DiJonai Carrington.
Sabally would later fall to former Wings teammate Arike Ogunbowale, but that's a tough matchup in its own right. It's especially tough when you just finished that kind of matchup with Carrington.
No. 3: Rose BC (3-4)
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Last Week's Ranking: 3rd (+1)
Week in review (1-0): 71-63 win over Mist BC
Injury notes: N/A
Big-Picture Thought: Unrivaled has been great for Angel Reese
If you blinked while reading this, you may have missed Reese steal the ball from Breanna Stewart again.
In all seriousness, it's been fun watching Reese work on the floor and vibe with others off of it. She's doing her usual work on the glass, ranking fifth in rebounds per game (9.6) while leading the league in offensive rebounds (3.1). But we've also seen some refinement with her drives, a moderate dose of mid-range play and pretty versatile defense.
1v1 MVP: Azurá Stevens
Talk about a run for the versatile Sparks big!
Stevens ended Shakira Austin's run with an 11-4 victory, showcasing slick ball-handling and interior craft in the process. She followed that up with a dominant 12-2 showing over Sparks teammate Rae Burrell, where Stevens went 3-of-5 inside the arc while also draining a pair of threes.
And here we are, with Stevens set to face Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier with a chance to advance to the finals. Frankly, I wouldn't rule out an upset win for Stevens; she has the size, mobility, and shot versatility to hang with Collier in this format.
No. 2: Laces BC (4-2)
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Last Week's Ranking: 2nd (No movement)
Week in review: No games
Injury Notes: N/A
Big-Picture Thought: Please get healthy
It's been established that this is a very good team, when upright.
Alyssa Thomas and Stefanie Dolson have provided tremendous value as screeners and post hubs. Kayla McBride has gotten buckets in virtually every way imaginable. Tiffany Hayes has taken the lead guard role in stride. Kate Martin has popped as a cutter while also showcasing some on-ball juice that may carry over into the new W season. Jackie Young has mostly shot the leather off the ball from deep while showcasing her strength, literally, as a driver.
I would just like to see this group make it through the season once it resumes. Thomas and Hayes have been out with injury. Young has only appeared in three games, and it feels like there's been some sort of health scare in every game she's played in so far—including her 1v1 matchup loss to Rickea Jackson.
Please, whatever it takes. Extra time in the training room. Prayer. Bubble wrap. Anything.
1v1 MVP: Jackie Young
A quick salute to the competitive nature of Young, who battled with Rickea Jackson despite not appearing to be 100 percent and taking a shot in the game (and still finishing it) to boot.
Beyond that, the previous message applies. Please stay safe and healthy out there! I would imagine the Unrivaled experience has been a more stressful watch than anticipated for members of the Aces' front office.
No. 1: Lunar Owls BC (8-0)
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Last Week's Ranking: 1st (No movement)
Week in review (2-0): 94-76 win over Phantom BC, 85-81 comeback win over Mist BC
Big-Picture Thought: There isn't much you can do with this team
Napheesa Collier has been Unrivaled's MVP through four weeks, and her, ahem, unrivaled versatility unlocks everything for this group.
It makes the mix of drives and pull-ups from Allisha Gray and Skylar Diggins-Smith hurt a little more. The pick-and-roll play with Courtney Williams becomes more difficult to deal with. It's allowed Shakira Austin to come in and play a little more free, whether she's the lone big on the floor or not.
And zooming out, the combination of pace, ball movement, screening, ball pressure, and switching from this group has been pretty absurd, honestly. They're the only undefeated team left, and half of their wins have been by double-digits.
Not only have they been the best team in the league, it's been their mission to make sure it isn't close.
1v1 MVP: Napheesa Collier
We were close to having a pair of Lunar Owl representatives in this year's semifinals, but Aaliyah Edwards' upset win over Allisha Gray took that off the table.
At any rate, Collier—the No. 1 overall seed for my (Monopoly) money—remains as a serious threat to win the whole thing.
Collier's blend of size, speed, footwork, touch and defensive prowess has popped in this format, much like it has during 3x3 play. She knocked off Katie Lou Samuelson in a 12-6 win, followed that up with a physical (and kinda rude, lol) 12-5 victory over Rickea Jackson, then used her size to get the best of double-teammate Courtney Williams in a 12-4 win.
It's gonna be tough to knock off Collier, though I'm excited to see what her matchup with Azurá Stevens looks like.
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