As Mist BC secures a win, New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and her peers center justice, grief and accountability.
In a moment that extended far beyond the court, players in Unrivaled used the platform of competition to acknowledge the weight of events unfolding outside the arena.
Before the matchup between Lunar Owls BC and Breeze BC, players and fans observed a moment of silence honoring Alex Perfetti, an ICU nurse who was killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Minn. The pause created a space for reflection—one rooted in grief, solidarity and collective awareness.
That act of remembrance set the tone for how players across the league approached subsequent games, reinforcing Unrivaled’s growing reputation as a player-driven league unafraid to engage with issues of social consequence. The silence was intentional, signaling that what happens beyond the hardwood matters just as much as what unfolds on it.
The message carried forward into the following matchup between Mist BC and Vinyl BC, where the emotional undercurrent remained present even as competition intensified. Earlier, New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart had taken to the floor holding a sign that read “Abolish ICE”—a simple but direct statement that drew attention to immigration enforcement practices and their human impact.
Against the backdrop, Mist BC and Vinyl BC opened their game with visible tension, as both teams missed early opportunities before Mist found the scoreboard first with a basket from Allisha Gray. By the end of the opening quarter, Mist held a slim 23-20 lead, extending it to 38-35 by halftime.
A Game Played With Urgency
The third quarter unfolded as a back-and-forth exchange, with neither team able to create meaningful separation. Entering the fourth quarter, Mist BC maintained a 65-62 edge, setting the target score at 76. With the finish in sight, the game shifted from rhythm to resolve.
Stewart delivered decisively. She connected on a 3-pointer to bring Mist within two points of the target score, then followed with her signature spin move into the lane, finishing with a driving layup to seal the win. The sequence capped her fourth double-double of the season, as she finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
