Philly Is Unrivaled: A Historic Night in Women’s Hoops
Philly Is Unrivaled: A Historic Night in Women’s Hoops
Philadelphia showed up and showed out for women’s basketball like never before. The inaugural Unrivaled 3-on-3 league tour stop hit Philly with record-breaking force, packing 21,490 fans into Xfinity Mobile Arena – the most ever for a regular-season women’s hoops game. This was the city’s first pro women’s basketball game since 1998, when the ABL’s Philadelphia Rage played, so you can imagine the hype. The energy in the arena was electric: a DJ kept the beats pumping and fans were already roaring hours before tipoff, decked out in Unrivaled and WNBA gear. I saw merchandise lines so long they snaked around the concourse – Philly folks were hungry to rep this new league. There were three or four merch stations, and each had a massive queue (the kids disappeared for 30 minutes at halftime just to snag a T-shirt!). It was honestly a beautiful sight to see such demand for women’s sports swag.
And talk about star power – the stands were crawling with celebrities showing love. I spotted hometown legend Dawn Staley smiling ear to ear, former NFL star, forever a Philadelphia Eagle, and Older brother to Travis, soon to be married to Taylor… Jason Kelce with his wife Kylie. Comedians Wanda Sykes and Leslie Jones laughing it up, “GMA” anchor Robin Roberts, and even Sixers guard Kyle Lowry chilling courtside. Also Spotted was Philadelphia’s own hip-hop artist Tierra Whack and Quinta Brunson. You could feel the respect and excitement from these VIPs; they knew this was more than just a couple of exhibition games – it was a movement. Wanda Sykes, in particular, had a glow of pride, and rightly so: she’s been a key advocate for this league through the local group Philadelphia Sisters that she co-founded to boost women’s sports. Philly is on track to get a WNBA team in 2030, thanks in part to efforts by Sykes and crew, but she clearly wasn’t waiting till then to celebrate – she was here to witness history now.
Even the halftime entertainment was on point. In-House DJ & Local Tracks: The atmosphere at Xfinity Mobile Arena was driven by a live DJ who played a heavy rotation of tracks from iconic Philadelphia artists, specifically featuring Eve, Meek Mill, and Freeway to energize the record-breaking crowd of 21,490 fans.The crowd was treated to a fiery mini-concert by a Philadelphia hip-hop artist and I’m so sorry i can’t recall her name, but she brought down the house with an energetic 10-minute set. I’ll be honest – I wasn’t very familiar with her music before, but she did her thing and had the arena rocking. It was the perfect Philly touch: a hometown performer hyping up the hometown crowd, reinforcing that this night was for Philly, by Philly. By the time the second half was ready to tip off, the fans were amped and singing along, ready for more action.
Phantom vs Breeze: Down-to-the-Wire Thriller
The night’s first matchup pitted the Breeze against the Phantom, and it lived up to the hype as a nail-biting thriller. The Breeze roster is stacked with young stars – from former UConn phenom Paige Bueckers to Stanford standout-turned-Sparks forward Cameron Brink – and they’ve quickly become fan favorites. You could hear the cheers every time Paige touched the ball; Philly fans know greatness when they see it. Brink, meanwhile, had wowed everyone before the game even started by throwing down a dunk in practice (her first since coming back from an ACL injury). Yes, you read that right: a one-handed dunk in warmups, courtesy of Ms. Brink – talk about announcing your comeback in style! The buzz from that alone had us buzzing that something special was in the air.
Once the game tipped off, the action was fast and furious. The Phantom club jumped out with veteran poise, anchored by WNBA star Kelsey Plum who was in complete control of the game. Plum sliced through the defense, dropped in 22 points, and dished dimes with the calm of a champion – truly a floor general out there. Every time the young Breeze squad made a run, Plum or her teammate Aliyah Boston had an answer. Boston, the ultra-talented rookie (and already an All-Star in the WNBA), muscled her way to 18 points and 8 rebounds, owning the paint for Phantom. Talk about a one-two punch – Plum’s finesse and Boston’s power had Phantom in the driver’s seat most of the way.
But the Breeze were determined to make it a fight. Paige Bueckers started cooking in the second half – hitting pull-up jumpers, threading no-look passes – en route to 23 points on 9 of 13 shooting. The crowd absolutely lost it when Paige sank a deep three and gave a little celebratory fist pump. You could tell she’s been itching to compete at this level, and she did not disappoint. Forward Rickea Jackson chipped in a smooth 20 points of her own, slashing to the rim and knocking down mid-range shots, while 18-year-old phenom Dominique Malonga – remember that name – tallied a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Breeze. Malonga even threw down an unreal put-back dunk earlier in the season, so everyone was watching her every move (no dunk in this game, but her athleticism was on full display grabbing boards).
As the clock ticked down, the game stayed neck-and-neck. The atmosphere was playoff-level intense; every defensive stop drew cheers, every bucket had us on our feet. Phantom never relinquished the lead in the fourth quarter – every time Breeze got within a basket, Plum or Boston would respond to keep them at bay. In the final minute, with Phantom up by a hair, guess who stepped up? Kelsey Plum, of course. She sliced through the lane and sealed the deal with a clutch finger-roll layup, putting Phantom ahead 71-68 and sending their bench into a frenzy. That proved to be the dagger. When the buzzer sounded, Phantom had edged out Breeze 71-68, and the crowd gave both teams a standing ovation. We were all breathless – and this was just Game 1!
One of the most heartwarming sights of this matchup was seeing Natasha Cloud, a Philly-area native playing for Phantom, get her moment in the spotlight. When Cloud was introduced pre-game, she held up a sign that read “ABOLISH ICE” (making a statement off the court) and got a roaring hometown ovation. During a post-game interview, Cloud was actually moved to tears talking about what it meant to finally play pro ball in her city. “This is my city,” she said, voice cracking, “I love my city so much.” Seeing her gaze around at 21,000+ fans – some wearing her jersey – and getting choked up, I got chills. In that moment, Cloud represented every little Philly girl who dreams of playing on the big stage. It was bigger than basketball; it was about Philly pride and breaking barriers.
Lunar Owls vs Rose: Mabrey Makes History
If the first game was a thriller, the second was an offensive explosion. The defending champion Rose took on the Lunar Owls, and we witnessed an absolute show from one sharpshooter. Marina Mabrey of the Lunar Owls was nothing short of otherworldly on this night. I mean, Marina was hotter than lava from the opening tip. She dropped an unbelievable 27 points in the first quarter alone, hitting four consecutive three-pointers at one point – including one from the logo!We were rubbing our eyes like, is this really happening? Every time Mabrey launched from deep, the entire arena held its breath, then erupted as the ball splashed through the net. By halftime, she was well on her way, and by the end of the game Mabrey had scored 47 points, a new Unrivaled league record. Yes, 47 points in a 3x3 game of just 28 minutes – it defies imagination. She sank 10 three-pointers in those 21 minutes of play, scoring from everywhere: pull-ups, step-backs, fast-break spot-ups, you name it. It was the kind of performance people will be talking about for years. I feel privileged that I got to see it live, because it was pure magic. As one article put it, Mabrey “was the show” that night – and the record-setting Philly crowd loved every second of it.
Thanks to Mabrey’s scoring spree, the Lunar Owls soared to an 85-75 victory over Rose. But don’t think for a second that the Rose team didn’t put up a fight – they’ve got some ballers, too. In fact, Rose’s own young star Shakira Austinquietly had a monster game herself, pouring in 31 points in a valiant effort to keep her team in it (she was practically unstoppable in the paint). WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, a North Philly native and hometown hero in her own right, added 19 points for Rose and took on the role of tour guide for her teammates – I heard Copper made sure to bring the whole Rose squad to Dalessandro’s for cheesesteaks the night before, true Philly style. She even had to secure 64 tickets for friends and family to attend the game, so you know it was a special homecoming for her (and she did not disappoint, flying around on both ends of the court). Veteran point guard Chelsea Gray chipped in 21 points for Rose, flashing her usual clutch shot-making and savvy leadership. Rose actually led early in this game and went toe-to-toe with the Owls for much of the first half – it was 45-45 at one point as Austin and Copper answered Marina Mabrey’s barrages with big plays of their own. The atmosphere was insane: one side of the arena would chant “Let’s go Rose!” and moments later the other side answered with “LU-NAR OWLS!” It felt like a heavy-weight fight and a three-point shootout all at once.
In the second half, though, Mabrey just refused to cool off, and the Lunar Owls started to pull away. Skylar Diggins-Smith, suiting up for the Owls, played Robin to Mabrey’s Batman nicely – Skylar dropped 16 points and was the steady floor leader setting Marina up and drawing defenders when needed. Forward Temi Fagbenle also gave the Owls some solid inside play with 15 points, cleaning up misses whenever Rose’s defense managed to make Mabrey miss (which wasn’t often!). What’s scary is the Lunar Owls didn’t even need huge numbers from their superstar Napheesa Collier to win this game. Collier, who is not only a player but also a co-founder of the league, had a light scoring night by her standards, focusing more on defense and facilitating. But even as a secondary option, her presence was felt – setting hard screens to free up Marina and using her length to contest shots on D. You could tell Collier was soaking in the moment. After the game, she talked about how “unbelievable” the crowd was and how “filled up with joy” she felt seeing Philly show out for women’s hoops. This is a WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist, mind you, saying she’s neverexperienced anything like that night. If Napheesa Collier is impressed, you know it was special.
When the final buzzer confirmed the Owls’ 85-75 win, the arena exploded in applause. Mabrey was mobbed by teammates, and even some Rose players came over to give her hugs and daps – recognizing the greatness we all just witnessed. The fans gave another standing ovation, and I saw so many smiles in the crowd. Even after the game ended, people just did not want to leave. We all lingered, basking in the history that had been made and the sheer joy of the event. It felt less like a regular season game and more like a championship celebration plus a family reunion for the Philly basketball community.
A Night to Remember – and a Glimpse of the Future
Friday night in Philly was more than two exciting games – it was a historic moment for women’s sports. That 21,490 strong crowd wasn’t just a number; it was a statement. It shattered the previous women’s basketball attendance record and proved that if you give this game a big stage, the fans will show up in force. As I looked around at the sea of people, I got a little emotional realizing what it meant. Philadelphia has such a rich basketball heritage on the men’s side (from Wilt and Kobe to Dr. J and Iverson), but women’s pro ball hadn’t been here in almost 30 years. Well, Philly made up for lost time in one incredible night. As Kahleah Copper said, “the city is ready for women’s professional sports… I’m excited that it’s here and I’m a part of it”. There was a feeling in the air that this was the start of something big. With a WNBA expansion team on the horizon for 2030, Philly is already proving it’s a women’s hoops town through and through.
Credit is due to the visionaries who helped make “Philly Is Unrivaled” happen. Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, two of the biggest names in the WNBA, actually co-founded the Unrivaled league back in 2023 to give players more opportunities in the offseason. It’s player-led and player-focused – and you felt that spirit all night. Collier herself spoke to the crowd, practically glowing with pride, saying “the future’s Unrivaled”. I believe her. This league is innovating with the 3v3 format and bringing the game to new cities, and it’s clearly tapping into a hungry fan base. The league’s CEO, Alex Bazzell, jumped on the mic in the press room and gave a rah-rah speech about taking this show on the road more often, hinting that more tour stops will be coming. After Philly’s success, I suspect cities all over are going to be begging to get on the Unrivaled tour schedule. As Breeze forward Cameron Brink astutely put it, “We saw that this is a city that wants to cheer on women’s basketball” – and that applies far beyond just Philly.
And we cannot forget the local heroes like Wanda Sykes (yes, the comedian!) and her wife Alex Sykes, who through their Philadelphia Sisters initiative helped campaign for this event and are major advocates for women’s sports in Philly. They, along with so many grassroots groups (shoutout to Watch Party PHL and others), laid the groundwork by building hype, organizing watch parties, and basically proving to the world that Philadelphia was thirsty for this. That community-driven support is a big reason the night felt so special – it was like everyone in the arena had a stake in this success. The message was loud and clear: no more waiting for women’s basketball to get its due in this city.
On a personal note, this night meant the world to me. I looked over at, Sydney, who was in the stands with me, and I saw her eyes light up watching Paige Bueckers drain a three and Marina Mabrey drop 47… without a care in the world. In that moment, it struck me that there is no glass ceiling for her – the sky is truly the limit. She’s seeing women athletes command a sold-out arena, she’s seeing that her dreams belong on this stage too. You can tell your kids, “you can be anything,” a million times, but nothing beats them seeing it with their own eyes. That’s the gift Unrivaled gave us Friday night. Little girls were dancing in the aisles, young boys were yelling for autographs – the next generation got a taste of something transformative.
When I finally got home (well past bedtime, with my voice half-gone from screaming), I was still riding the high of the evening. I realized I’d just witnessed a turning point. Philly made history, yes, but more importantly it made a statement of love for the game and respect for the women who play it. This wasn’t just a one-off novelty act; it felt like the beginning of a new tradition. As Napheesa Collier said, it was a testament to what they’re building – and what they’re building is big. The future of women’s basketball looked awfully bright in that sold-out arena.
In true Philly fashion, the city of brotherly (and sisterly) love embraced Unrivaled with open arms and full hearts. We laughed, we danced, we gasped at clutch shots, we high-fived strangers next to us. We were a part of something historic. I’m so grateful I got to be there, and to tell you all about it. If this becomes a regular thing (and I suspect it will), you’d better believe I’ll be following and supporting every step of the way. Philly is unrivaled, and on this night we proved that together. The sky’s the limit from here – and personally, I cannot wait to see what’s next.
