It was all smooth sailing for Lunar Owls BC—until it wasn’t. The powerhouse squad, stacked with stars like Napheesa Collier, Allisha Gray, and Skylar Diggins-Smith, had dominated the league, rolling to an undefeated 8-0 record. They looked unstoppable in each game. But on February 21, their perfect run came crashing down in stunning fashion. Enter Angel Reese and Rose BC, who had something to say about the Owls’ reign.

And say it they did—loud and clear. In a statement win, Rose BC took down the previously unbeaten Owls with a 72-63 victory, making it clear they’re not just another team in the mix. The game’s undisputed star? Angel Reese. The Chicago Sky phenom put on a monstrous performance, racking up 22 points and an absurd 21 rebounds—eight of them on the offensive glass—all in just 23 minutes.

However, Reese wasn’t flawless. She shot 10 of 19 from the field, missed her lone three-point attempt, and went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line. She also committed four turnovers, showing there was still room for improvement. Yet, even with those miscues, her impact was undeniable. And behind her breakout game? A legendary mentor. That mentor? None other than 2× WNBA champ Lisa Leslie.

“Gotta make history … I work with Lisa once a week,” Reese revealed after the game. “We worked yesterday on finishing. I like to play great players … I love a good challenge (vs Phee). And being able to play against Phee tonight … A lot of people don’t see the work I put in … it’s just the beginning.”

So Leslie just wasn’t talking the talk.

Appearing on the Unappolgetically Angel last week, the former champion had made clear her intentions to help Reese improve; specifically with her shooting. “The biggest advice I have for you is going to be how you shoot your layups, period. We’re going to fix that. That’s fixable for you,” she advised. And well, help she did.

Reese and Leslie have been spotted at practice together even before the Unrivaled league kicked off. The LA Sparks icon could be seen helping both Phee and the Chi-Town Barbie as they attempted jumpers, 3-pointers, and worked on defense in the clip shared. So it wasn’t a one-time thing and they have goals in store!

“I am like a proud mom sitting here watching,” Leslie responded after the game. “And here’s the reasons why: it’s just the beginning. Angel Reese, one of the goals that we had is for her to have a double-double without them being all her misses.” 

With Leslie’s help, Reese is leading the charge, and the tides in the league may be shifting. Now, let’s breakdown how Reese dominated the game.

How did Angel Reese took over the game?

Right from the tip-off, Angel Reese made her presence known. She came out aggressive, firing off four quick shot attempts in the first quarter while dominating the boards. Her energy set the tone for Rose BC, helping them jump to an early lead.

By the end of the first quarter, she had already racked up six points in just six minutes, shooting 2-of-4 from the field and 1-of-2 from the line. But scoring wasn’t her only focus.

Reese pulled down four rebounds, dished out two assists, and made her presence felt on defense with a block and a steal. “The defense is there. Her ability to bring the ball up, has passing skills have improved, but listen, it’s the defense for me,” Leslie commented. The former LSU star was everywhere, and by the middle of the second quarter, she’d already locked in another double-double.

Halftime stats? Nothing short of dominant. Reese had piled up 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block—all in just 14 minutes of action. She shot 6-of-10 from the field, missed her only three-point attempt, and went 1-of-2 from the stripe.

But the real fireworks came in the third quarter. Reese exploded for eight shot attempts, sinking three, and pushing her total to 20 points. With 19 rebounds already in the bag, history was calling. And she answered. In the final quarter, Reese grabbed two more boards to seal her 20-20 game, adding two points for good measure. Game, set, dominance!!