(1) WOLVERINES vs (5) NYUNITED
Semifinals – Saturday (12/3) 1:15pm at MLK HS
| Team Notes | Team | Score | Team | Team Notes |
| Wolverines have been D2’s most dominant team all season. This is the same tough, defensive-minded team as in past seasons except this season (F) Nick Liveris has been a much-needed consistent scorer, and (G) Nickolas Abrapour gives them athleticism they’ve never had. It’s no fluke, WOL was always playoff-ready with their size and D, but now they’re the odds on favorite to win it all. |  WOL 6-1 |
56-52 |
 NYU 5-3 |
NYUnited has actually been a bit of a disappointment this fall. Carrying a ton of talent and size, they finished just 4-3. But they have improved as of late, and they come in having knocked out the two-time defending champs. This is a team that can actually go all the way if they keep their heads. It’s a young roster, so they if they convince themselves they can win it for long enough, they just might do it. |
| Key Player: Nick Liveris
This has been arguably Liveris’ best career season. The veteran big has scored vintage efficiency, and he has never played with any shortage of defensive intensity. It was always the offense that was questionable, not this season. X-Factor: Nick Abrapour Abrapour may be the most athletic player on the floor, maybe more so than Morrison. He’s also relentless. But his shot is erratic, which keeps him an x-factor. If he’s on, he makes WOL real tough to beat. |
 Pos: F19 ppg 9.3 rpg 2.2 spg
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 Pos: G 14.7 ppg 7.3 rpg 5.7 apg
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Key Player: Nakami Morrison
Morrison is arguably the best 1-on-1 player in D2, he can create his own shot, hit the 3 and play-make as well as anyone. He’s also a terror in the passing lanes. Don’t be loose with the ball around him, he will take it and score with a quickness. X-Factor: Blog Zou Zou is a force with his versatility and physicality. But he tends to lose his composure, and that not only affects him, but his entire team. If he can keep cool, he can give NYU a real shot at upsetting the #1 seed. |
(2) BOMB SQUAD vs (3) GRITTY FOB CITY
Semifinals – Sunday (12/4) 12:30pm at MLK HS
| Team Notes | Team | Score | Team | Team Notes |
| Despite a couple of slip-ups, Bomb Squad has looked like the only team capable of giving WOL a run for their money. But they’ll have to beat a veteran, battle-tested FOB team first. For their part, they match-up well. BOM’s front-court is one of the few who can go toe-to-toe with FOB. And they have more scoring depth on the perimeter. Trick is whether or not the jumpers are falling. If so, good night. |  BOM 5-2 |
58-55 |
 FOB 6-2 |
Gritty FOB City is kind of like the TDL version of the Yankees, well the Yankees of yore, pretty much a shoe in for the playoffs every season. The question is always is this season’s team good enough to win it all. The jury’s still out for this group, but they have all the necessary pieces, if not quiet enough pieces. FOB scored a franchise low 48.7 ppg this season. They will need to do better than that against BOM. |
| Key Player: Sherwin Salar
When Salar first joined BOM, he had to feel his way to this point. But now he’s their spiritual & physical leader from start to finish. BOM will go as far as Salar takes them. And that’s been as far a previous title with this team. X-Factor: John Mei Mei led the team in scoring this fall, but he still isn’t what you would call consistent. When he’s on, he’s a tough match-up due to his length and athleticism. He can get any shot he wants when he’s on. |
 Pos: F12 ppg 11.2 rpg 5 apg
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 Pos: G 21.4 ppg 6 rpg 2.2 spg
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Key Player: Ace Watanasuparp
Watanasuparp is a scorer of pure will power. He just will not stop attacking. That can be a bit of a double-edged sword, especially vs a defensively savvy team like BOM, but he’s carried FOB all season and there’s no stopping now. Key Player: David Ri Ri can be erratic on offense, it seems like he doesn’t want to be the focal point, which is okay now with Watanasuparp at the helm. But if Ri gets into it on D, and if he’s feeling the jumper, he’s capable of big #s. |
Pos: F