(1) YIELDMO 

VS

(3) NYC GRITTY COMMITTEE

Yieldmo has been the D3 WN front-runner all season, and now they’ve made it to their first franchise championship game. This is a team that relies heavily on their star (F) Max Paynter, but there are key contributors up and down the roster, particularly when it comes to hustle play. It will require a unified effort to beat a crafty veteran squad like NYC Gritty, a team that will surely be keying in on containing Paynter as much as possible.

Gritty is back. It took a few seasons for NGC to get back to the chip, which is an eternity for a team that is angling for a championship every season, but this team is battle-tested and ready to put all that veteran savvy to use against a relatively inexperienced team in YIE. As their name indicates, NGC is always up for a grind, and at times this season, they’ve pulled off some miracles. Making 3-pointers will help. If the’re falling, it makes life a lot easier. 

The “Lebron James of D3,” Max Paynter has carried Yieldmo all season and they’ll put their faith in him again here. Paynter is still the biggest mismatch on the court, but NGC has a big, physical front court that will make it a little harder than usual for Paynter to score in the paint.

Lee is the catalyst for everything that Gritty does, as good a set up man as he is a scorer. NGC will rely on him as much as YIE will Paynter, if not the same way. Whereas YIE needs Paynter to overwhelm opponents with his scoring, Lee orchestrates the Gritty offense and paces the team.

(1) D.A.W.

VS

(6) NYC GRITTY COMMITTEE

After losing to an RAW team that has since been moved up to D1 (and is in the chip), DAW has not lost another game. They are a physical team that likes to get up and down the court, and aren’t afraid to get spicy with anyone. Point (G) Jason Meija and (C) Lou Nikki are both strong MVP candidates, and they make for the best 1-2 punch in the division. DAW is a streaky team, which can let opponents back into games, but if they have sustained focus, they can win comfortably.

The former champs are back in the chip for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons. This is a team that knows how to fight on every play and even if they’re underdogs, they may be the toughest match-up DAW could’ve gotten in the chip. (C) Victor Chia gives NGC a big body who can at least challenge Nikki in the paint, and (G) Ace Watanasuparp will play as hard to contain Meija as anyone could ask. Gritty will rely on a veteran back court and smart decision-making down the stretch to try to steal this game.

Nikki has been the most dominant big man in D2 all season, and paired up with the speed and creativity of Meija, the pair is all but unstoppable offensively. The key for DAW is how committed they will be on the defensive end. If Nikki holds down the paint, expect a DAW title win.

Gritty’s back court doesn’t need to score a lot, but they do need to make plays in crunch time. Watanasuparp will have the ball in his hands the most, and even in his late 30s, the veteran plays with plenty of energy. The question is whether he’ll have enough gas to close out.