Liberty Teammates Face Off in Unrivaled Matchup
New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud and her Phantom BC team handed Breanna Stewart and the Mist BC their first loss of season 2 of Unrivaled. Cloud, known for her defensive intensity and playmaking came up big on both sides of the ball when her Phantom team needed it most.
🚨GAME 1 FINAL SCORE🚨
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) January 13, 2026
👻: 64
🌫️: 61
Cloud, Phantom BC Hand Mist BC First Loss
Cloud’s Phantom club win a tight one in a 64-61 victory for the Phantom’s second win of the season. Cloud finished the game with a near triple-double finishing with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
A blow for blow, pound for pound type of victory by the Phantom. The phantom trailed the game by 7 at halftime. They outscored the Mist 27-15 in the 3rd quarter.
The contest remained tight in the fourth quarter, featuring physical play and multiple lead changes before Phantom BC closed out the win. Phantom's defense held firm in the closing minutes with Cloud as a defensive anchor.
So wholesome 😭 pic.twitter.com/zkbUZLxINh
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) January 13, 2026
Stewart Shines Despite Loss
On the other side, Stewart finished the game with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. Although, it wasn’t enough to secure the win Stewart continues to show why she is a former MVP.
Stewart spoke before the game about her early success in Unrivaled saying, "honestly, I'm trying to see who's guarding me. If it's a smaller defender, you know, wanting to take them down low, bigger defender taking them in the perimeter and just really being aggressive."
Mist BC had opportunities late but was unable to convert in the final moments. Stewart's presence kept the Mist within striking distance throughout the second half, but the team was unable to overcome Phantom BC's third quarter run.
Rest, Schedule and Next Matchup
This year Unrivaled schedule change has allowed the players more rest between games. Last season, players played back to backs which isn’t ideal for recovery.
“I'm loving it…last game I was warming up and I was like, can you believe we did back to backs last year?”, Stewart said. “Just the ability to know that you're able to compete, give your all, and you have a day in between your next game is incredibly important, because back to backs are tough, and we have more than one of them throughout the season. It wears on your body.”
Stewart and Cloud will have 3 days of rest before getting back to action this weekend. The Phantom will play the Laces next up and the Mist will take on Lunar Owls.
Brooklyn-based sports journalist and digital creator. Telling stories through hoops while covering the New York Liberty.