(2) SKILLSHARE vs (5) NY DYNASTY
D3 WN Championship – Thursday, March 30, 7:30pm at Fashion HS
| Team Notes | Team | Score | Team | Team Notes |
| Defending champs SKILLSHARE are back in the chip. And so long as they didn’t have to face SPR before now, it seemed like an inevitability. (G) Elliott Curtis and (F) Scott Sullivan will put up big #s, and (C) Anthony Hull is easily the biggest player on the floor, and (G) Mike Hamane will lead SKL’s physical D. DYN won’t have the size or depth to match-up with SKL, but to close them out, SKL will have to make sure they don’t hot from three. |  SKL 5-3 |
62-58 |
 DYN 5-4 |
Skillshare may have two of the Top 5 players in the league this season, but the NY DYNASTY might have two more. (G) Ren Hsieh & (G) David Chu are arguably the best back court in D3. And in the playoffs, they are scoring a combined 46 ppg on 52% FGs, incl 58% from 3. Veteran role players are key for DYN. When everyone is on the same page, and the shots are falling, this is a very tough team to beat in single-elim. |
| Key Player: Scott Sullivan
There are really no other players in this division that have Sullivan’s combination of size, physicality and mobility. He is a relentless attacker on offense and on the glass. If DYN can’t stay in front of him, he will dismantle their D, one that’s not great a foot speed to begin with. |
 Pos: F23.0 ppg 7.0 rpg 2.0 apg |
 Pos: G 28.0 ppg 6.0 3pg 2.5 spg |
Key Player: David Chu
At the D3 level, you can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him. It helps that his team does everything it can to get him as many touches as he needs to get it going. Chu is, however, nursing a back injury, so it will be interesting to see how that affect his range. |
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| X-Factor: Michael Hamane
Starting PG Elliott Curtis will get his, but the x-factor for SKL is Hamane. Very capable of putting up a 20-pt game, if his 3-pointer is falling, then DYN is in for a long-time night. They can shift their D to guard Curtis and Sullivan, maybe Hull, but Hamane, too? That’s too much for any team. |
 Pos: F21.5 ppg 5.0 rpg 3.5 apg |
 Pos: F 9.0 ppg 5.5 rpg 2.0 spg |
X-Factor: Brian Yang
In their first match-up with SKL, the veteran Yang gave DYN some much needed points in the paint with crafty moves and some tough finishes around the rim. He is an undersized post player, but his heady play will be a major factor in whether or not DYN can pull off this upset. |
(3) F.K.A.L.J.S vs (4) TEAM SIX
Premier Championship – Thursday, March 30, 8:45pm at Fashion HS
| Team Notes | Team | Score | Team | Team Notes |
| You’d have to say it’s destiny at this point. F.K.A.L.J.S capt (G) Mike Salerno once helmed for their opponent Team Six until he left the team unceremoniously before they won their first title. This FKA team is the new girlfriend, so to speak, and they are fully loaded. (F) Tom Killiam and (G) David Kalema are as lethal a duo as any in this division, and they’re surrounded by shooters. FKA’s been the best team in Premier for the past month. |  FKA 6-3 |
65-62 |
SIX 6-3 |
It wasn’t there strongest reg season, but TEAM SIX just needed to make the playoffs. They know what it takes to get back to the title game, this is their third straight appearance. (G) Brett Swanson found the range in the Rd 1 to help them get past WHG. (G) BJ Davis used his speed to help SIX beat reigning champs MWW in the semis. It’s been a team effort all season with players stepping up just when SIX needs them most. No reason that should change now. |
| Key Player: Tom Killiam
We’ve reviewed Killiam ad nauseum at this point: athletic and he’ll score. Try to stop him, good luck. But don’t sleep on Kalema, who is crafty in the paint. He won’t beat you with the Killiams’ athleticism, but he finds a way to get into the paint to score. |
 Pos: G21.7 ppg 3.8 rpg 2.7 apg |
 Pos: G 8.8 ppg 4.7 rpg 3.3 apg |
Key Player: B.J. Davis
The rookie Davis showed off his speed in their semifinal win over MWW in a way we hadn’t really seen all season. But if he’s found niche in the rotation now, it’s great timing. He will be the fastest player on the floor and SIX will need him. |
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| X-Factor: Mike Holsey
When available, Holsey is the paint defender that ties the whole team together. The other FKA forwards are big, and rebound well, but aren’t fast. Holsey makes up for that by challenging everything at the rim. |
 Pos: C4.8 ppg 8.8 rpg 1.8 bpg |
 Pos: G 10.2 ppg 3.4 rpg 3.0 apg |
X-Factor: Brent Swanson
Swanson is a heady veteran player who will always make a contribution whether he’s hitting his jumper or not, but man, when that 3-pointer is falling, it falls in waves. If Swanson is hot, this one’s a barn-burner. |