Forward Angel Reese faced an early departure from an intense Unrivaled matchup between the Rose and Laces on Saturday night. The incident occurred during the latter part of the second quarter when Reese ramped up her defensive pressure against guard Tiffany Hayes. In an attempt to steal the ball, Reese was called for a foul. After the call, she walked away while making gestures that seemed to dismiss either Hayes or the foul that had just been called. This led to an immediate consequence as she was assessed a technical foul.
Seeking to defend herself, Reese argued her case to the officials, trying to clarify that her gestures were directed at Hayes and were not intended as a disrespectful comment towards the referees. Unfortunately for Reese, her explanation did not resonate with the officials, and she received another technical foul shortly thereafter, which resulted in her ejection from the game. This marked a historic moment as Reese became the first player in Unrivaled’s history to be ejected.
Prior to this game, Reese and her team, the Rose, were struggling in the league with a record of 1-4, positioning them at the bottom of the standings among the six participating teams. The outcome of this game against the Laces further complicates their ongoing efforts to turn their season around.
