Semifinals – Thursday (3/22) 7:55pm @ Fashion High
(2) 30-FOR-30 (7-1)
Scouting Report: Every team left in the gauntlet is a bona fide contender, and as dominant as 30F has been finishing out the season, Smash N Bounce won’t be intimidated. But neither should 30F be scared of anyone. They have arguably the best defensive front-court in D3 with (F) Joseph Han and (C) Ezekial Shin. The latter may be the most imposing defensive presence in the paint in the division. What they will need is for their veteran guards to hit some 3FGs to help free up Han and Shin around the basket. SNB will undoubtedly pack it in on D.
Key Players: (F) Joseph Han (21 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.4 apg), (C) Ezekial Shin (15.2 ppg, 17.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
(3) SMASH N BOUNCE (6-2)
Scouting Report: Offensively, Smash N Bounce are somewhat limited, but they have a bona fide scorer in (F) Nathan Kan, who will never be trigger-shy. When he gets hot, SNB is near impossible to beat. Up and down the remaining roster, they don’t have players who score a lot, but they can put the ball in the hole in when needed. SNB are a deep team that loses nothing going to the bench. That’s what makes their scrappy, high-energy, defensive style of game sustainable. Their only weakness may be that they are not yet a proven champion, but neither is 30F.
Key Players: (F) Nathan Kan (17 ppg, 3.9 3pg, 2.4 rpg), (G) Eric Chang (9.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Semifinals – Thursday (3/22) 8:55pm @ Fashion High
(1) NY DYNASTY (8-0)
Scouting Report: Undefeated coming in, the NY Dynasty come in with D3’s most talented roster. It’s been a balanced effort this season from their Big 3, (G) Ian Yu, (G) David Chu, and (F) Tim Chin, but it’s the return of defensive stalwarts (G) Caleb Lui and (C) Dan Tak that make DYN a powerhouse. Every player on this roster has won a championship before, but not necessarily together. They will face the most storied franchise in D3 in Spaghetti Ramen, but interestingly enough, they’re one of the few teams–maybe the only one–that has historically had success vs SPR.
Key Players: (G) Ian Yu (18.7 ppg, 6 apg), (G) David Chu (21.3 ppg), (F) Tim Chin (19.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg)
(3) SPAGHETTI RAMEN (5-3)
Scouting Report: One thing to remember with Ramen is that throughout their dynasty, they’ve never been the most talented team. They worked their way up from years of also-ran seasons, then started getting to chips, and then started winning them. Along the way, the roster has hardly changed. (G) Leuis Ng is still an MVP candidate every season not only for his multi-faceted contributions to the box score, but also his leadership and competitive fire. We’ve never seen Ng as fired up as he was in the Rd 1. If you thought Ramen was getting tired of winning, you thought wrong.
Key Players: (G) Leuis Ng (20.2 ppg, 6 apg), (F) Teddy Lo (9.7 ppg), (F) Mark Hahn (10 rpg, 5 apg)
***
CHAMPIONSHIP – Thursday (3/22) 9:55pm @ Fashion High
(2) HONEY BADGERS (8-1)
Scouting Report: This is where they expected to be, the Honey Badgers are the deepest team in D1 WN, with plenty of scoring and defense across the board. They’re not even really battling an opponent, they’re battling themselves here. This team believes they are cursed, five title game appearances, and so far no wins to show for it. Maybe the new adds will be the difference. Hoodie Melos may not be the opponent they expected, but they are no less formidable with their composed veteran back court and the unstoppable (F) Young Song.
Key Players: (F) Michael Reding (18.5 ppg, 7 rpg), (F) Zach Moretti (8 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
(3) HOODIE MELOS (6-3)
Scouting Report: The Melos believe they can win any game as long as they keep it close into the final minutes. Their back court is stocked with mentally tough, veteran ball handlers that have seen every crunch time situation. And to top that all off, they’ve finally unlocked peak (F) Young Song. All season we alluded to untapped potential for Song in the Melos attack, and finally in the playoffs, he has been unleashed. HON will have lots of bodies to throw at Song, so how HOO react to the Badgers defense, should they choose to double, will be the key adjustment in this game.
Key Players: (F) Young Song (27.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg), (G) Kev Chang (9.5 ppg, 3.5 apg)
(3) 
