The Rose BC escaped a feisty stand from the Laces BC in the Unrivaled semifinals to advance to the championship game against the Vinyl BC on Monday, March 17. Chelsea Gray played a crucial role in Rose’s semifinal run, leading the team in points with 39 on top of three rebounds and four assists in the win.
Following her impressive showing, Gray is expected to play in the finals game against the Vinyl BC, carrying over the momentum against the No. 4 seed whose squad took down the top seed Lunar Owls in a stunning semifinal clash.
Gray has indicated no injuries that could hinder her from playing in the Unrivaled finale after putting the Rose squad on her back in the semifinals. Gray went on a personal 21-0 run in the second half to pull Rose out of a 13-point deficit during halftime. She then hit the game-winner in the fourth quarter to secure the finals berth for the squad, missing its star forward Angel Reese and second-best scorer Kahleah Copper.
Gray shot an impressive 15-of-23 from the field in the win, including 5-of-8 shooting from the three. The 32-year-old guard led the team in scoring during the regular season with 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game for Rose BC.
Meanwhile, Reese and Copper combined for 29.9 points per game in the regular season, leaving the likes of Gray, Azura Stevens, Brittney Sykes, and Lexie Hull with a huge hole to fill in the finals.
Chelsea Gray credits next-person mentality for impressive Unrivaled playoffs showing
Chelsea Gray’s performance was a much-needed one for the Rose as they missed two players in the game. For Gray, it was a shift of mentality that allowed her to do more on the court to bring her team to the finals.
“It’s the next-person-up mentality,” Gray said during the post-game press conference. “It’s been that way since Kahleah first came down, then (Azura), and then Angel. So it’s been the next person up. Everybody has to do a little bit more, do a little bit more on both ends of the basketball, and tonight was no different." (From 4:08)
Gray explained that she just took the best shots the defense allowed her, emphasizing that those shots were part of her routine.
“I just want to take the best shots possible and get to my spots … I put in the work and I take those shots in practice and other games. The only difference is either the tie on the clock or the stakes of the game,” she said.
Gray is expected to carry the load once more for the Rose in the finals against the Vinyl BC in the second night of a back-to-back as Reese and Copper have yet to confirm their availability in the Unrivaled finale.