When looking at Unrivaled Basketball, there is a healthy mix of youth and experience on the rosters. However, the Breeze lean more on the side of youth, but played like seasoned veterans in their first ever game versus the Phantom. On Friday, the Breeze faced off against the other new franchise in Unrivaled, the Hive. The tip-off was between Seattle Storm teammates Dominique Malonga (Breeze) and Ezi Magbegor (Hive).
Both teams kept it close in the first quarter as the Hive trailed 21-12 to the Breeze. Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink each scored six points, Kate Martin with five points, and Malonga with four. The second quarter was all Breeze as the lead widened to 42-24. In the third quarter, it was more of the same as now the Breeze held a 61-46 lead. This meant that the winning score for either squad was going to be 72 points or more.
When it came to taking over a quarter, team captain Paige Bueckers led the way for the Breeze. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year scored eight of the team’s points, including the game-winning jump shot. Collectively known as the ‘Youngins’, the Breeze remained undefeated with the 73-62 win over the Hive.
PB CALLS GAME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xVdBGbPeuz
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) January 10, 2026
Recap of Breeze – Hive Unrivaled Matchup
It’s important to note that both the Breeze and Hive had five players with 10+ points. Sonia Citron, who finished second behind Bueckers in the Rookie of the Year voting, led the Hive with 16 points. Veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever had 14 points on seven-of-11 shooting from the field.
Next, Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers scored 12 points along with seven rebounds. Lastly, Monique Billings of the Golden State Valkyries and Magbegor had 10 points and six boards apiece in the loss.
Shifting to the Breeze, Bueckers and Jackson sat atop the scoring ladder for the squad with 16 points each. Additionally, Bueckers had a double-double as she grabbed 10 rebounds. Malonga made Unrivaled Basketball history, becoming the first player to have a double-double in their first two career games. She had 15 points with 13 caroms in the game.
Brink and her 14 points marked her first time in double figures while adding six boards. Billings’ Valkyries teammate, Martin scored 12 points, including the lone three-pointer of the game.
Diving deep in the numbers, the Breeze controlled the glass with the 42-28 margin in rebounds and 12 free throw attempts to the Hive’s five. Yet, the Breeze had 14 turnovers here and 10 versus the Phantom on Jan. 5.
This Sunday, the Breeze get the defending Unrivaled Basketball champions in the Rose in primetime. The Hive will face the Vinyl on Sunday night as well.
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