(1) SK WAR DOG

VS

(4) YUNG NO FLY ZONE

SK War Dog has been a two-headed monster all season with a now healthy (G) Kash Miah (21.5 ppg) as head #1 and an ageless (G) Vegas Dave Wong (23.4 ppg) as head #2. They just keep coming at you in waves, thriving in transition. But that wouldn’t be possible without their defense. (F) Tyler Wells and (G) Felix Shen apply constant pressure and the addition of (C) A.K. Tewary and his 3 bpg gives them the leeway to stay aggressive. This is a team with championship pedigree, often winning it by the skin of their teeth. No team is better in crunch time than War Dog.

They were champions just two season ago, and lost in the title game last spring. Yung No Fly Zone is always in the running with their deep roster of veteran players led by perennial MVP (F) Michael Reding. The 3-3 record this season is a result of working in some new pieces and Reding shaking off a long lay off. NFZ has also been fighting some injuries, the bench has pretty much been empty all season, and will continue to be here. New add (F) Kieran Brennan has given NFZ another great option on offense, but more than ever their defense has had to be a team effort this season.

Rumor has it that Miah will be out for this one, so SKW will have to rely heavily on Wong for scoring. Which is likely music to his ears, Wong is more than capable of dropping 40 in a playoff game, he’s done it before. His relentless attack in transition, and ability to get to the line, will test NFZ.

Reding needed to shake some rust, but he is officially back. Reding is not only NFZ’s go-to scorer, he’s also their most versatile defender. They rely on him a lot and he’s used to the workload, it’s just sometimes in the playoffs, that can wear a guy out. They’ll hope it doesn’t come to that.

(2) LACE’O MY ASO

VS

(3) DORIS FROM REGO PARK

Lace’O My Aso are the reigning champs, but this is as tough a group of semifinalists as you’re gonna see. All three contenders left in the running to unseat LMA have multiple titles. Lace’O would like to join their ranks. At full strength, they can attack you from all sides. (G) Mat Joshy hasn’t been a big presence this season, but you can’t forget he is a former scoring champ. No one goes harder than (F) Matt Birtwell, tough-nosed on both sides of the ball. And versatile (F) Mark Promax is a match-up problem for most teams with his height and versatility. They’re champions for a reason and should still be regarded as such but then again, so is Doris.

This is getting redundant but Doris From Rego Park is a two-time former title holder. Their last chip came just 3 seasons ago, or when they last played. No easy outs left for anyone at this point. Doris is as tough as they come, devoted to defense on a spiritual level. Opponent’s frustration only feeds the monster, they seek submission and continue to bury you, no matter what the score. Granted, that tenacity may have lost them their starting point (G) David Weiss due to a broken nose. But (G) Will Chu as a 2nd option is pretty sweet. The big difference this season is the addition of (F) Jacob Leizman, a natural scorer who shares Doris’ love for gritty play. 

With guard skills, standing at about 6-4, Promax has emerged as LMA’s featured offensive option this season, but he may be able to help Lace’O best on the defensive end in this game. With DOR’s undersized front-line, Promax can shut down the paint with his length.

With Leizman, Doris gets a dynamic scorer who can manufacture points from any spot on the floor. And they lose nothing on the other side of the ball. He’s lanky, but tireless working to get open. His jumper is pretty much knock down and he finds creative ways to finish in the paint.