The Friday night slate of Unrivaled did not disappoint. Another thriller in Game 2-- the Laces pulled it out 83-79 in an all-around performance for the league's only 3-0 team.
It was the opposite of Game 1 of the double-header-- both teams entered Game 2 with 2-0 records. Either the Laces or the Vinyl, two of the best teams in the league early on, would pick up its first loss.
The game started out as a back-and-forth affair. While the teams traded buckets early on, the momentum was quickly claimed by the Laces' second unit. Kayla McBride played every minute in the first quarter, but Kate Martin and Stefanie Dolson provided the spark needed to give Laces the lead. Martin used her quickness to make hustle plays, extending a possession with an offensive rebound and hitting two layups. Dolson helped move the ball and added her own contribution on the glass.
The Laces led 24-20 after one, but the Vinyl came out for the second quarter quickly. Vinyl started the quarter on a 7-0 run, but some questionable shots and carelessness with the ball allowed the Laces to storm back with an 19-2 run of their own. Martin, McBride, and Tiffany Hayes all had a hand in it, helping stall the Vinyl's offense and continue building the Laces lead.
But basketball is a game of runs, and the first half concluded with another 8-0 Vinyl run to cut the Laces lead to 45-39
The Laces maintained their lead in the third quarter, then doubled it by way of a tough Kate Martin three-pointer. Aliyah Boston started to heat up for Vinyl towards the end of the quarter, hitting two straight layups in the post against Dolson. McBride and the Laces were in the zone, though, and brought an 11-point lead into the final frame after a buzzer-beater to end the third from McBride.
The winning score was set at 82, and Vinyl would need to score 22 points to secure the win.
The fourth quarter began with a scary sight. Laces' Martin tried to gather her own miss and collided with Vinyl's Rhyne Howard. As she went down, Howard got tangled up with Laces' Alyssa Thomas and both players remained on the floor for an extended period. On closer inspection of the replay it was unclear whether or not it was a contact injury, but Thomas immediately clutched her knee. She made her way down the tunnel with minimal help.
Out of the injury break, the Vinyl started to mount a comeback. Arike Ogunbowale led the way, scoring six points en route to the Vinyl cutting the lead to four (77-73). McBride needed to get the Laces back on track, doing so by converting on an and-one opportunity and bringing the Laces one bucket away from victory.
Things got interesting when Ogunbowale picked up a technical foul after a foul was called on her. McBride hit the free throw, but Laces missed the shot on the ensuing possession after the tech. Ogunbowale hit a three to then make the score 81-79. A three would give Vinyl the come-from-behind victory.
McBride silenced those thoughts, hitting the layup through the contest to walk it off and give the Laces their third win. She said she's loving the Elam-style ending in Unrivaled.
"I love the fourth quarter format," said McBride. "It's the purest form of basketball, and we got the job done tonight."
McBride finished with 22 points on 50% shooting. All Laces finished in double figures, an all-around performance for the league's current best team. Dearica Hamby led the way for Vinyl, finishing with 20 points.
Boston finished with four points, two rebounds in just seven minutes played.
Both teams will have Saturday off, starting back up on Monday.