Sling into the Semifinals: Vinyl and Breeze Advance — Full Unrivaled Playoff Schedule and Stakes
Vinyl and Breeze advanced to the Unrivaled semifinals after decisive first-round wins, a shift that sets up two high-stakes semifinal matchups in Brooklyn and preserves a $600, 000 prize for the title-winning club — sling. These results finalize the bracket headed to Barclays Center and concentrate the league’s spotlight on four teams vying for the championship.
Sling: Results that reshaped the bracket
Vinyl, the No. 6 seed and the last team to clinch a playoff berth, upset No. 3 Laces after Rhyne Howard poured in 30 points and veteran Dearica Hamby hit the game-winning shot in Game 1 of the first round. Vinyl closed the game 82-69, and teammates celebrated Hamby’s late heroics.
Breeze secured its semifinal berth behind Paige Bueckers, who scored 29 points, and a dominant performance on the glass from Dominique Malonga, who grabbed 17 rebounds in a 69-50 rout of last year’s champion, Rose. Those first-round outcomes determined the opponents who will travel to Brooklyn for Monday’s doubleheader.
Semifinal matchups, schedule and stakes
Top-seeded Phantom and No. 2 seed Mist had already secured automatic berths into Monday’s semifinals. The semifinal pairings are set as follows: Phantom will face Vinyl in the first semifinal in Brooklyn, and Mist will meet Breeze in the second semifinal. Both semifinal games are scheduled for Monday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The winners of those semifinal games will meet in the title game at Unrivaled’s home arena in Miami on Wednesday. The championship carries a collective prize pool of $600, 000 to be split among players from the championship-winning club, raising the material stakes for each remaining matchup.
Awards, individual seasons and what to watch next
End-of-season honors were announced alongside the playoff action. Phantom forward Aliyah Boston was named Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 29 blocks in 14 regular-season games and finishing second in total defensive rebounds with 111. Boston also led Phantom with 136 rebounds and 39 points off turnovers, and averaged 18. 9 points, 9. 7 rebounds and 2. 1 blocked shots for the season.
Kelsey Plum, Paige Bueckers and Chelsea Gray were named to first-team All-Unrivaled lists, while Boston earned second-team All-Unrivaled recognition. Bueckers finished as Breeze’s leader in scoring and assists, averaging 22. 1 points and 5. 5 assists per game and shooting 38% from three-point range. Gray reached several personal milestones this season, including four game-winning baskets and becoming the first Unrivaled player to surpass thresholds of 600 points, 200 field goals and 100 assists.
Coach of the Year honors went to Roneeka Hodges after she guided Phantom to a league-best 11-3 record in her first season with the club.
Schedule recap and final notes
- First round: Held in Miami; key first-round victories sent Vinyl and Breeze onward.
- Semifinals: Monday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York; Phantom vs. Vinyl followed by Mist vs. Breeze.
- Finals: Title game scheduled for Wednesday in Miami at Unrivaled’s home arena; $600, 000 prize pool for the championship-winning players.
These outcomes compress the title race to four teams with clear individual standouts and a pronounced prize on the line. As the semifinals approach, attention will focus on matchups in Brooklyn and how the league’s award winners influence the road to the Miami final.
