(2) LACE’O MY ASO

VS

(4) YUNG NO FLY ZONE

In a rematch of the last D1 Sunday final in the SPR ’17 season, LMA looks to replicate a dominant win over NFZ with aggressive perimeter defense and a similarly attacking offense. LMA’s strength can often be NFZ’s weakness. Their ability to pressure guards players defensively with (G) Chung Lee, (G) Mat Joshy and (F) Matt Birtwell can frustrate a Flyers team that likes to operate with space. On offense, LMA bigs (F) Mark Promax and (F) Kyle Jose are versatile, stretch players who can make NFZ’s often slow-footed defense pay from behind the 3-point arc. As match-ups go, this is a pretty favorable one for Lace’O.

NFZ could hardly have forgotten how they were humiliated in their last finals match-up vs LMA. But this is a Flyers team sorting out new personnel. Half their back court is gone, and though (G) Alex Tsay is a strong pick-up, he has been mostly sidelined with injuries. New add (F) Kieran Brennan has fit right in. He has helped to diversify NFZ’s offense. The Flyers can score, but their defense has been a slow starter, which has made every game a struggle. At full strength, NFZ has just as much depth as LMA, and more overall size, if not quite the speed. If they can dictate the tempo and control the ball, they can win this game.

Birtwell is as tenacious as they come, and his defense and hustle is a catalyst for everything LMA does. His effort on that end can sometimes mean his jumper can get streaky, but he’ll keep attacking the basket as relentlessly as he does on D, keeping the pressure on opposing defenses.

With more balanced scoring this season, Reding hasn’t had to carry so much of the offensive load. Which is good for the Flyers, because he’s also the team’s most versatile defender, often has to defend the opposing team’s best offensive player. He’ll be put to the test here on both sides of the ball.

(1) TAIWAN NO. 1

VS

(4) RISE AGAIN

Out of nowhere, Taiwan No. 1 has lived up to their moniker all season. They have simply found ways to win, and it’s not always pretty. But it’s the semifinals now, and every team left is a contender, and they’re now facing, as a newbie team, the most storied franchise in D3. They will come in with D3’s most balanced scoring attack. Nine players score between 4.8 to 8.7 ppg. And any one of them can get hot, as (G) Tim Yu did for 21 pts in the 1st rd. 

It’s always the same story with Rise Again. In many ways, they’re the most predictable team in the league. They come at you with the same guys, same strategy, season after season. And yet, you can’t really stop them. And this isn’t a team that overwhelms their opponents on either side of the ball. They can do that if they get hot from three. But typically, they just dissect you piece by piece until you don’t even realize it’s all over and they’ve won it.

Lin is TW1’s most versatile player. He’s a big, physical forward who can handle the rock, find the open man, and shoot. With a roster full of attacking guards, he is often the point forward, setting up the offense. TW1 is a big team for D3, and Lin’s all-around skills make them seem even bigger.

What else is there to write? Multi-time reg season MVPs, championship MVPs, Ng does it all. Inside, outside, off the dribble, on the break, he dictates everything for RIS. Ng is the one guy you have to stop on this team, and if you have a strategy to do it, you’d be the first.

(1) NY ROCKITS

VS

(5) WOLVERINES

Speed, speed & more speed. The Rockits come at you in waves, overwhelming you with guard after guard attacking, creating, and making layups or 3FGs. Every player on this roster is looking to make the extra pass, or the opportunistic defensive play. But TOs can be an issue. The Rockits have to make sure, especially against a bigger WOL team, that if the shots aren’t falling, they control the ball. Playoff games run much tighter, less margin for error.

More than anything, the Wolverines MUST dictate the pace in this game. The Rockits are younger and much faster overall. Which to the Wolverines possible advantage, also means ROC tends to play fast and loose with the ball. WOL cannot afford to do the same. If they control tempo, control the ball, keep their composure, and finish in the paint–all big IFs–they can steal this from a less experienced, smaller Rockits team by overwhelming them physically.

The veteran Yu is the Rockit’s most senior player, and he orchestrates much of theor offense. He has shot well from the 3-pt line (38%) this season, but not so much from the FT line (39%). But with plenty of ROC players who can get to the stripe, the pressure isn’t on Yu to make many.

Liveris and (C) Mike Meng can put together a solid two-man game against a zone D, but they have to be patient and let it develop. If ROC goes man, both players must punish them in the paint and finish layups. Missed layups give ROC a chance to beat WOL back in transition.

(2) LET IT FLY

VS

(3) NO FLY ZONE OG

Let It Fly looked like the shoe-in #1 seed until a surprising loss to RIS exposed some of their weaknesses. But they didn’t have (C) Ola Oni in that game, and against a short-handed NFZ in the reg season, he simply man-handled the opposition. This is a very athletic team for this division, which gives them extra chances via the offensive glass and opportunistic defense, but the key for LIF, still very much a contender, will be execution down the stretch and finishing strong whether they have the lead or not.

No Fly Zone won the D3 title in the spring, and looked poised to repeat in the summer until they somehow forfeited their semifinal game to the eventual champions. They were bodied in the paint in their reg season match-up, but that was without (F) Saleem Ahmed, arguably the league’s best shot blocker. His length will be key to patch up a weak interior defense with (C) Kevin Wong failing to qualify for the post-season. On offense, they have reliable veteran options in (F) Young Wang and (G) Ren Hsieh.

Mosley was not available in LIF’s 1st rd win over BIL, which is a testament to the Flyers depth, but Mosley is their best option on the offensive end. Undersized, but crafty and physical in the paint, Mosley is a problem from point blank range to 15′ vs NFZ’s less physical lineup.

The veteran paint protector is a stretch 4-5 on offense, and he’s about as streaky as they come in D3. In the 1st rd, he gave JPU a taste of what i’s like when he gets hot. His 6 1st half 3FGs set the tone in a blowout win. LIF cannot afford to let Ahmed get hot in the early going here.

(2) RAINING ROSEBUDS

VS

(3) BOMB SQUAD

The Rosebuds have been holding strong as a contender all season, losing only to top seed ROC. They have a far more focused attack on offense this fall, led by speedy (G) Anthony Williams, and solid all-around play from up and down the roster. New adds have had a huge part. (G) Caleb Lui is as good a defender and set up man as you can find in D2, and (F) Burke Wise has low key been maybe the best big man in D2 this season. It’s their opponent, however, that has been where they’d like to be. BOM is an experienced former champ that will test everything RAR has.

They’ve been uneven this fall, but Bomb Squad is still a veteran roster with a deeper guard rotation than they’ve ever had. (G) James Han proved that point with 22 pts in BOM’s 1st rd win over NFZ. If the 3FGs are falling–and they will take a lot of them– this suddenly becomes a very difficult team to beat. But it all starts with the match-up problems (F) Sherwin Salar is able to force in and around the paint. Without this balance, BOM becomes far easier to defend. And though their defense is solid, it has shown some holes this season, particularly with an injured (G) Alex Tsay.

Even in his 30s now, Williams is the fastest guard in D2. His shot selection can be a bit questionable at times, perhaps taking more deep 3FGs than preferred by his team, but when he gets it going he is capable of carrying the RAR offense. And his speed in the passing lane leads to easy FGs.

RAR doesn’t have the strongest interior D, so Salar should get plenty of opportunities. But BOM asks a lot of Salar as their only big man, undersized as he is already. So if he has the legs to score, BOM can thrive, but they can count on him to contribute across the board regardless.

1st Division (Sun) Player of the Week

(F) KYLE JOSE (LACE’O MY ASO)

17 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Wat Misaka Defensive Player of the Week

(G/F) MATT BIRTWELL (LACE’O MY ASO)

5 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 block

The Sam Lo Hustle Award

(G/F) MATT BIRTWELL (LACE’O MY ASO)

14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, 1 block

Spot Dessert Bar Most Outstanding Rookie

(G) JACOB LEIZMAN (DORIS FROM REGO PARK)

30 points, 4 3FGs, 8 rebounds, 1 steal

The High-5 Club

Matt Birtwell (LMA) 14-5-3-5-1
Kyle Jose (LMA) 17-11-2-1-1
Mark Promax (LMA) 15-7-1-2-2

Weekly League Leaders 

PTS: Jacob Leizman (DOR) 30, Vegas Dave Wong (SKW) 24
3FG: Jacob Leizman (DOR) 4, Vegas Dave Wong (SKW) 3
REB: Rick Louis (SKW) 24, [2 players] 11
AST: David Rivera (LMA) 6, [3 players] 5
STL: Matt Birtwell (LMA) 5, Chung Lee (LMA) 3
BLK: Mark Promax (LMA), A.K. Tewary (SKW) 2

2nd Division (Sun) Player of the Week

(F) SHERWIN SALAR (BOMB SQUAD)

16 points, 20 rebounds, 6 assists

Wat Misaka Defensive Player of the Week

(C) MICHAEL MENG (WOLVERINES)

6 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks

The Sam Lo Hustle Award

(F) LOUIS KONIG (TAP NY)

8 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Spot Dessert Bar Most Outstanding Rookie

(F/C) BURKE WISE (RAINING ROSEBUDS)

15 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

The High-5 Club

Nick Abrapour (WOL) 10-12-3-1-1
G Beaubrun (WOL) 2-10-8-1-1
Louis Konig (TAP) 8-17-5-1-2
Michael Meng (WOL) 8-6-3-2-3
Burke Wise (RAR) 15-14-4-1-1

Weekly League Leaders 

PTS: Nick Liveris (WOL) 23, James Han (BOM) 22
3FG: Ori Damari (NFP) 6, James Han (BOM) 4
REB: Sherwin Salar (BOM) 20, Louis Konig (TAP) 17
AST: G Beaubrun (WOL) 8, Ren Hsieh (NFP) 7
STL: Stephen Lok (TAP) 3, [8 players] 2
BLK: Michael Meng (WOL) 3, [2 players] 2

3rd Division (Sun) Player of the Week

(G) SEAN HE (BALL IS LIFE)

28 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals

Wat Misaka Defensive Player of the Week

(F) SALEEM AHMED (NO FLY ZONE OG)

7 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 blocks

The Sam Lo Hustle Award

(F) HENRY LIN (TAIWAN NO. 1)

15 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Spot Dessert Bar Most Outstanding Rookie

(G) TIM YU (TAIWAN NO. 1)

21 points, 5 3FGs, 5 rebounds

The High-5 Club

Kojo Achiampong (LAR) 8-6-1-2-1
Marvin Chu (NFZ) 2-8-5-1-1
Mark Hahn (RIS) 10-4-2-2-1
Dennis Hou (TW1) 2-2-4-4-1
Henry Lin (TW1) 15-12-2-2-1
Guannan Liu (CRO) 21-5-1-1-1
Rob Rodkey (LAR) 2-5-1-1-2
Eddie Tsao (LAR) 12-2-1-1-1

Weekly League Leaders 

PTS: Sean He (BIL), Robert Zhang (GOO) 28
3FG: Saleem Ahmed (NFZ), Robert Zhang (GOO) 6
REB: Vikram Kulkami (GOO) 14, Felix Zhang (GOO) 13
AST: Ren Hsieh (NFZ) 7, [7 players] 4
STL: Sean He (BIL), Dennis Hou (TW1) 4
BLK: Saleem Ahmed (NFZ) 4, Rob Rodkey (LAR) 2

(3) NYC GRITTY COMMITTEE

VS

(6) GAME 7

This match-up was an instant classic for each team’s final game of the regular season. NYC Gritty Committee narrowly lost, but also had to play without (C) Victor Chia. Assuming he is back in the lineup, he’ll be a major factor in this game, as NGC struggled to keep GA7 out of the paint in that loss. On offense, stand out (G) Teddy Oh showed some growing pains as well, unable to figure out GA7’s zone D. These are two very crafty teams so the veterans will have to step up and take control.

Veteran (G) Elliott Curtis posted a great all around game in their reg season match-up, particularly from behind the arc. But their success came from a healthy dose of Curtis, (G) Mike Hamane & (F) Jamerson Green attacking the paint and finding shooters. If NGC has Chia in the paint, he can erase a lot of those opportunities, which may force GA7 to convert more from mid-range. Still, Green and Hamane will have to stay in attack mode to get NGC’s defense moving.

The veteran Lee has won more than his share of big games, they’ll need another vintage outing from him tonight against a tough GA7 squad. Lee took a step back this season to let Oh to step up offensively, but come playoff time, it’s the most experienced champions who take the reins.

Much like Lee for NGC, as long as Curtis is on the floor, GA7 has a chance to win. He is the focal point on offense in both scoring and as the team’s orchestrator, basically a player coach. Curtis has been lights out from behind the arc lately so look for a big night from the veteran guard.

(1) D.A.W.

VS

(9) TRIBE

After an opening season loss to a team that was eventually moved up to D1, D.A.W. has not lost another. This is a tough, physical team led by the dynamic duo of (G) Jason Meija and (C) Lou Nikki. There may not be a more formidable pair in D2. And they’re a tested team as well, winning close games all season long. They’re ready to compete for a title in their first season.

Tribe gets in by winning the play-in game, in which both teams played short-handed. So there is a possibility that TRI may be coming in with some tired legs. Still, there are key veteran players on this roster who have been here before, and won. If DAW sleeps on them, they certainly have the fortitude to pull off another upset and keep this run going.

Meija may be the toughest guard to stay in front of in D2. With an array of moves, and tough finishes, he’s able to create plenty of scoring opportunities for himself and for his teammates. His only shortcoming may be shot selection, but TRI doesn’t really have a player who can match up with his speed.

Chen is the kind of player that if you lose sight of him, he can hurt you. His game does not extend very far out on the perimeter, but he’s crafty, plays hard, and has a penchant for finding open spots on the floor. He should be a factor vs a DAW help D that occasionally falls asleep.

(2) DON’T EVER PLAY YOURSELF

VS

(7) UNCLE BOUGHT A COW

The two-time defending champs are still the favorite to win it all despite a season full of players needing time off for injury and for personal reasons. Their two losses seemed to have two things in common, young legs that move well off the ball, and reliable 3-point shooting. DPY’s physical style of defense can be exploited with those two things, and UBC has both. But with a full roster ready for the playoffs, and now a healthy (G) Emery Clark, DPY should still be considered the favorite here.

UBC lost their first four games to start the season. It looked hopeless, but a mid-season add of (F) Jacob Leizman turned it all around. This team has always played hard, but it didn’t always get the consistent offense to back up their effort. Leizman bring in 27.7 ppg, and that’s been good enough to finish 2-1 and enter the post-season with momentum. But getting DPY in the 1st rd is just about as tough a match-up as they could pull, especially with DPY wanting revenge for a reg season loss.

With Clark out of the lineup for most of the season, McFarlane was unleashed this season posting a career-best 22 ppg. Which takes nothing away from his bread & butter defense. Though his defensive #s are down, there are few players that defend like he does at his position.

Leizman is a natural scorer, finding any way to the put the ball in the bucket inside and out. The rookie gunner scored 34 on DPY in their reg season match-up, thanks to his tireless movement off the ball to get open and a knockdown jumper. DPY struggled to stay with him and paid the price.

(4) HONEY BADGERS

VS

(5) YOLO

It was the best regular season finish for the Honey Badgers, but their only interest here is to get back to the chip and win it. It’s all the same usual suspects, but with notable addition (F) Adam Powell who provides added scoring from the wing. Which has been HON’s weakness in the playoffs due to the amount of energy they expend on defense. YOLO, which is trying overcome it’s own playoff hump, will be a good test.

The addition of (F) Matt Birtwell and (G) Effie Klein, combined with the improved play of (F) Samson Adelaja has given YOL much more balanced scoring. And better overall rebounding and defense as well. YOLO isn’t one of D1’s flashier teams, so they could be poised for an upset here should teams want to sleep on them. But YOLO has not historically matched up very well with HON.

Zach Moretti’s nickname in this league is “Crash” because we can’t think of another player more willing to put his body on the line for every single play. Sometimes we worry about his health, but he makes for a great teammate–and a catalyst for HON–as no one is willing to let him crash alone.

The veteran Promax hasn’t shot efficiently this season, but if he can get it going early, it will challenge HON to focus their energy on defending him, which should open the lane up for Birtwell and Adelaja. Promax is the focal point, but will need to be crafty vs a tough defensive team.