Paige Bueckers (No. 5) of the Breeze BC had a Monday night she’ll never forget with a 37-point performance in an 83-64 win over the Mist BC at Sephora Arena. (Photo: Unrivaled Media)
MIAMI — Paige Bueckers delivered a performance that blended efficiency, urgency, and leadership on Monday night, powering Breeze BC to an 83–64 win over the Mist BC.
Bueckers poured in 37 points, including 18 in the opening quarter, as the Breeze BC rebounded from back-to-back losses and reasserted themselves midway through the league’s compact 14-game season. The win marked the Breeze BC’s third of the 2026 Unrivaled Basketball season and showcased the group’s ability to respond quickly in a league where every possession and every night carries amplified weight.
Rather than framing the night as an individual scoring outburst, Bueckers pointed to collective intent and a sharper opening approach as the foundation for the performance.
“As a team, we were just trying to set the tone,” Bueckers said. “From each game you can learn something. And I think from the way that we started the jump ball last game was not the approach that we wanted to have moving forward.”
That lesson translated immediately.
From the opening tip, the Breeze BC played with noticeable aggression on both ends of the floor, pushing tempo, spacing the floor, and attacking early gaps in the Mist defense. Bueckers knocked down five three-pointers on eight attempts and finished 14-of-19 from the field, consistently punishing switches and late closeouts.
“I think as a team, we were very intentional about how we started the game,” she said. “Being aggressive on both ends of the floor. So that really just set the tone for what it looked like for us for the rest of the game.”
Rickea Jackson earned the praises of Paige Bueckers, her Breeze BC teammate, on a selfless performance. (Photo: Unrivaled Media)
The Breeze BC never trailed after the opening minutes, building separation behind a balanced attack that extended beyond Bueckers’ scoring. Rickea Jackson added 10 points and seven assists, while Dominique Malonga recorded a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Cameron Brink delivered one of her most impactful outings of the season, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, and a game-best plus-25 rating.
Head coach Noelle Quinn emphasized the collective discipline and attentiveness that allowed the Breeze BC to maintain control.
“I thought that they were both really attentive to our coverages,” Quinn said of Malonga and Brink. “Finding spots on the floor for their success.”
On the opposing side, Mist BC star Breanna Stewart acknowledged both Bueckers’ impact and her team’s missed defensive discipline.
“Yeah, I mean no surprise. Obviously, Paige is an incredible player,” Stewart said. “And like Zach (O’Brien, Mist BC head coach) said, we let her get a little bit too comfortable tonight and just kind of walk into a lot of shots.
“Credit to them, they lost their last two games, so of course they’re going to come back, come out hungry, hungry for a win. And now it’s our turn to respond.”
Brink’s presence proved particularly influential on both ends. Her ability to defend multiple positions and remain aggressive offensively helped stabilize the Breeze during rotations and prevented the Mist BC from finding sustained rhythm.
“I thought Cam as a plus-25 was just very impactful in her minutes,” Quinn said. “Defensively, offensively she doesn’t back down from anyone. And I think that’s contagious for our team.”
The Mist BC entered the contest known for perimeter shooting and offensive versatility, but Breeze BC’s interior activity limited clean looks and tilted the rebounding margin decisively. Notably, the Breeze BC finished with 46 total rebounds, including nine offensive boards, while scoring consistently in the paint off downhill attacks.
“Finding ways to get downhill and finish in the paint was huge,” Quinn said. “It helped our points in the paint.”
For a league designed around pace and condensed opportunity, Monday night underscored the importance of immediate adjustment. Unrivaled’s format offers little time to sit with mistakes, and Breeze BC’s response reflected that reality.
Bueckers acknowledged that the group carried lessons directly from its previous outing into preparation.
“We were very intentional,” she said, noting that the team focused on correcting its opening approach rather than dwelling on the result.
That intentionality extended beyond shot-making. Breeze BC’s ball movement created clean spacing throughout the night, with multiple players initiating offense and keeping the defense in rotation. Jackson’s seven assists highlighted that balance, while the Breeze BC recorded 15 assists as a team.
Paige Bueckers went 5-8 from downtown to lead the Breeze BC to an 83-64 victory over the Mist BC. (Photo: Unrivaled Media)
“My teammates did a great job getting me open shots,” Bueckers said. “Getting the floor spaced. Everybody played a different role tonight. And everybody made a huge impact on the game. And it all translated to winning basketball.”
The win also came on a night when Bueckers was recognized for her impact beyond the box score. Earlier in the evening, she learned she had won Unrivaled’s Xfinity-sponsored free throw challenge, an initiative tied to the league’s broader investment model and prize structure.
“It’s huge,” Bueckers said of the financial backing behind the league. “Just from when I was growing up watching and growing up playing and having all these amazing idols to look up to, and then just to see how much the growth is now.”
She pointed to accessibility and visibility as critical components of the league’s mission.
“How many people are investing in women’s sports and women’s basketball specifically,” she said. “It just means everything to us because we invest so much into the game.”
While the prize recognition drew smiles , including a brief, playful acknowledgment that she has “some plans” for the winnings, the larger meaning was not lost on her.
“It’s very motivating,” Bueckers said. “Not just for us, but for the next generation to come as well.”
As the Breeze BC continue navigating their inaugural Unrivaled season, off-the-court cohesion has emerged as a recurring theme. Despite limited time together and a roster composed of players from varied backgrounds and professional experiences, the group has formed chemistry quickly.
“I think it speaks to the coaching staff and the team that they put together and the humans that they chose,” Bueckers said. “First over the basketball.”
She described the process as natural and organic, with relationships forming rapidly both on and off the floor.
Paige Bueckers moved up to third in points per game after five games of the 2026 Unrivaled Basketball season. (Photo: Unrivaled Media)
“It’s really funny just how naturally it happened,” she said. “To really come together and form like a family bond that quick — it doesn’t happen often in professional sports.”
That continuity, she added, becomes especially important in a league defined by rapid emotional swings.
“To weather the storm and to be the same team when we’re winning and we’re losing, I think that’s huge,” Bueckers said.
Quinn echoed that sentiment through her emphasis on standards and consistency, noting that the staff sets the tone and the players carry it forward daily.
Monday night’s result reflected that alignment.
After losses earlier in the week against Rose BC and Vinyl BC, the Breeze BC avoided allowing frustration to linger. Instead, they delivered their most complete performance of the season, pairing offensive rhythm with defensive discipline and collective purpose.
The victory moved Breeze BC back into rhythm as the league approaches its midpoint, with little margin for complacency in the remaining schedule. In a format where standings can shift rapidly, performances like Monday night’s carry significance beyond a single night.
For Bueckers, the focus remains simple.
Aggression early. Trust in teammates. Learn fast. Move forward.
As she put it, when intention and execution align, “it all translates to winning basketball.”
