#1 Quiksilver vs. #8 The Revenge
The Division 2 quarterfinal/semifinal rounds will get underway when #1 Quiksilver and the #8 seed The Revenge take the court in their 2pm match-up this Sunday.
Brandon Kinard leads his Quiksilver team into this quarterfinal match-up. Kinard finished the regular season as the teams leading scorer averaging 15.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 2.9 apg. Kinard is the teams defensive guru and will be a nuisance to the oppositions perimeter players. The man in the middle Harry Yoo has fallen off quite a bit after such a hot start to the season. Yoo enters the post season as the teams second leading scorer averaging 14.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, and 1.5 apg. The duo of Kinard and Yoo has proven to be very productive, the duo helped the team finish with a 6-1 record, and clinch the #1 overall seed throughout the playoffs. Justin Virgil is the teams third offensive option behind Kinard and Yoo, Virgil will enter the game averaging 10.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 2.2 apg. These will be the key players The Revenge will need to contain if they want any shot at winning this game.
The #8 seed The Revenge is flowing with confidence, they are coming off a 38-36 preliminary round victory over the Han$um Goonz. Armondo is the teams leading scorer and their primary option for scoring. Armondo entered the post season averaging 12.0 ppg, and 4.0 rpg. He came up huge in the teams victory over the Han$um Goonz, finishing with a team high 18 points and 18 rebounds, a massive double double. Behind Armondo it’s a toss-up of who the teams second leading scorer would be. On paper its Derrick Okoth who entered the post season averaging 10.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 1.4 apg. Okoth was semi non-existent in the teams last victory finishing with 7 points and 4 rebounds. Hassan Ahmed is the teams third leading scorer entering the game, Ahmed averaged 8.2 ppg, and 3.5 rpg during the regular season but has been absent from the teams last two games.
Prediction:
- Quiksilver comes away with an easy win. Quiksilver’s offensive game is just difficult to contain, the team averages 66.0 ppg, while The Revenge averages 50.3 ppg. Simply put, the team with more points at the end of 40 mins. wins the game, and all signs point at Quiksilver being the team that will have more points.
#4 Secret Agents vs. #5 California Raisins
The #4 vs. #5 match-up is most intriguing in my eyes. The Secret Agents enter the game knowing the one player on the opposition they must stop to come away with an easy win.
Simply put Dominic Cortes is the California Raisins “bread and butter”, without him they are average-good, with him they have the potential to be great. Cortes led the team in scoring in their seven regular season games with 27.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 2.0 apg. Cortes had a huge game in the preliminary round, finishing with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Behind Cortes is Korey Davis, Davis enters the game with balanced numbers, he is averaging 11.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg. Kevin Chow is the teams third offensive option behind Cortes and Davis, Chow enters the game averaging 7.6 ppg, and 4.6 rpg. Chow had a mediocre game in the preliminary round finishing with 2 points and 8 rebounds. The teams X-Factor is Kwasi Mensah, Mensah is too talented to have only averaged 6.3 ppg, and 7.5 rpg. in the regular season. Mensah came up huge in the preliminary round finishing with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. If Mensah can drop 15+ every game that would provide a huge help to Cortes and Davis.
The favorites entering this game will be the Secret Agents. This team is just dripping with confidence after knocking off the defending champs Wonton Soup in there final regular season game. Terrail Thomas leads the Agents into this match-up averaging 17.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, and 1.7 spg. Behind Thomas is Teron Mack, Mack is averaging 13.2 ppg, and 3.2 rpg, and has played his best basketball lately. Darryiall Morris (10.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.7 apg) and Lonnie Bradshaw (11.1 ppg and 5.4 rpg) round out the “players to watch” for the Secret Agents.
Prediction:
- The Secret Agents will come away with the victory, they are too stacked at every position. They however lack significant bench play, so fatigue may be an issue, however if they can slow the game down they will be fine. Their guards are simply stronger and quicker than those of the Raisins so expect a lot of pressing.
#2 Double Dribble vs. #10 X-Men
The X-Men’s luck will finally run out when they take on the veteran filled #2 seed Double-Dribble.
Darren Smith will lead the #10 seeded X-Men into this playoff bout, Smith entered the post season averaging 25.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 1.5 apg, Smith was huge in the teams 2 preliminary round victories in the playoffs opening week. He finished the first game with 37 points and 7 rebounds and in the second game he finished with 20 points and 6 rebounds. Deante Smith is second in command on the X-Men, he entered the post season averaging 13.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg, Like his brother Smith had a great opening round. He finished with 20 points and 7 rebounds in the teams opening game and in the second game, Smith led the team with 22 points and 3 rebounds. The youngest of the Smith trio, Chris Smith will be the X-Factor for the X-Men, he is an athletic swing man who only averages (6.2 PPG) but his 8.3 RPG help his team out tremendously. He enters this game after a 5 point, 10 rebounds, and a 10 point, 8 rebounds game. The Smith trio are the sole reason behind the recent success of the X-Men.
Double Dribble will be led into this match-up by, reigning Division MVP Diahnte Pickett who enters the playoffs averaging 18.6 ppg and 2.9 rpg. Derrick Pickett is the teams second leading scorer, Derrick enters this game averaging 15.0 ppg, and 9.3 rpg. André Lockett is the teams third leading scorer, Lockett enters the game averaging 14.3 ppg and shooting a staggering 53% from downtown for the season. Giovanni Valentine is the teams 4th offensive option, Valentine enters this playoff game averaging 10.3 ppg, and 3.3 rpg.
Prediction:
- Double Dribble should come away with the win, they are a veteran team hungry to get to the top after many seasons of falling short. The X-Men’s run should be done after this game, but expect the game to be close in the first half with the Smith Trio doing all they can to make the game competitive.
#3 Wonton Soup vs. #14 Happy Hour
Wonton Soup begins their road to a 4th consecutive championship when they take on #14 Happy Hour. Happy Hour entered the playoffs with a 1-6 record but pulled off two wins over two higher ranked teams in the preliminary rounds to get to this point.
Happy Hour is led into this playoff match-up by Reuben Medina 18.5 ppg , 4.7 rpg, Medina had a huge opening round game, he finished with 20 points and 7 rebounds, in the second game Medina did not have a huge offensive output but his 14 points and 4 rebounds was icing on the cake for his team in their blowout win. James Reyes entered the playoffs as the teams second leading scorer. Reyes averaged 12.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg in the regular season, Reyes however did not make an immediate impact in the opening round games finishing with 11 points combined in 2 games. The bright spot for this team has been their 3 point shooting. If they can manage to go 15/25 from 3 point range they may actually have a shot at winning this game.
Wonton Soup is led into this game by Aaron Sanchez, Sanchez is averaging 18.1 ppg and 12.4 rpg. Behind Sanchez is Jamaal Logan who is the teams third scoring option, Logan is averaging 11.4 ppg and 1.4 rpg. Jaime Villalobos is the teams third leading scorer behind Logan and Sanchez, Villalobos enters the game averaging 11.0 ppg, and 5.3 rpg.
Prediction:
- Wonton Soup should have an easy game, Happy Hour just lacks the size to keep up with the defending champs, HOWEVER if Happy Hour shoots the 3 ball the same way they did when they played UKnow the game could swing in a totally different direction.
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