Championship weekend in the IBL went off without a hitch this past Sunday as we crowned two new champions (Dino’s Finest, Quiksilver) and we had our first back to back champion in Division 3 (HiiiPower). The first two games were nail biters but HiiiPower took all the suspense out of the building with a late second half run that garnered them the lead and their second championship.
#3 Knicee vs. #4 Dino’s Finest
The division 1 final between Knicee and Dino’s finest was a game for the ages. It was just the type of game needed to cap of our 9th spectacular season. The #3 vs. #4 match-up was the most anticipated of the night, it was the battle of the heavyweights. Larry Dew made a guarantee that his team would indeed win the championship and they did just that. In large part to some clutch shots from Dew.
Many league analysts predicted that this was Knicee’s season to take it all, I said ‘3rd time is the charm” due to Knicee making to the championship in seasons before but falling to the former IBL powerhouse Morningwood. On the other hand you have the Finest from the land of Dino, who had entered the league two seasons prior and won the championship in their inaugural season and were looking to hoist their second golden ball. So the matchup was set, two championship caliber teams looking to ink their name in the IBL record books.
Dino had the early lead and the momentum throughout the game getting key baskets when it needed. Both teams excel defensively, but the question was, in a defensive battle who would leave their offensive imprint on the game for both teams. Early in the game for Knicee Kenneth Ubom (12 pts, 2 rbs, 1 stl) was looking to find his offensive game after falling off mightily in the latter stages of the season. Ubom and big man Dewayne O’Neal (11 pts, 9 rbs, 2 blks) carried the offensive load in the first half and early into the second half until Reggie Smith (24 pts 9/18 FG) decided to go to work offensively. Smith caught fire offensively and brought Knicee back into the game after John Shields (11 pts, 4 rbs, 1 asts) and Derrick Andrews (11 pts) contributed mightily for their team in the first half. Late in the game, while Smith was catching fire for Knicee, Larry Dew (24 pts, 7 rbs, 2 asts, 2 stls) was heating up himself.
Dew played as if he had nothing to lose all game leaving everything out on the court, and was simply out did his backcourt counterpart Ray Hong ( 0 pts) in the game. The game was decided in the final minutes with Knicee garnering a 2 point lead after a couple of 3-point plays. Reggie Smith had an opportunity to ice the game at the line but missed both free throws which led to the game winning/ go-ahead 3-point make from Larry Dew with 1 second remaining.
After the game Dew reminded me about the guarantee he had made in Week 7, and made another guarantee along with teammate David Layne (Big City) that the team would in fact win the championship in Season 10.
Final Score
Dino’s Finest: 51
Knicee: 50
#4 Quiksilver vs. #7 HighLife
After falling behind early and entering halftime with a 16 point deficit (39-23) Quiksilver goes on a miraculous run to claim their second division 2 championship. Their first since Season 2.
HighLife got out to an early double digit lead and without the services of Jaime Villalobos for Quiksilver; things seemed to be on the decline. Going into the game the scouting report for HighLife was. “The backcourt tandem of Sango Niang and Chris Fowler can score and the do so in bunches” Not only did Niang and Fowler score early in the game, they got their teammates involved. The idea of them actually winning the game grew as the first half progress any doubt of them losing was all but gone. Fowler (19 pts, 6 rbs, 5 asts, 5 stls) initiated the offense in the first half, while Niang (19 pts, 3 rbs, 1 asts) shouldered the scoring load in the second half. The duo had help from their teammates as well. Storm Venegas (8 pts, 3 rbs), Willie Jones (7 pts, 4 rbs, 3 asts), & Jiros Vickson (6 pts) were key players in building the teams lead.
HighLife won the first half of play with their energy, disrupting Quiksilver’s chemistry and knack of scoring quick and often. They however, lost the second half of play due to not sticking to the initial game plan. To open the second half, HighLife had 4 offensive possessions end with a jump shot which was missed. Those jump shots led to fast break opportunities’ from Quiksilver’s Johnny Earl (25 pts, 8 rbs, 7 asts), who took advantage of the height he had over the opposing players.
Earl simply bulldozed his way to the basket to and was the catalyst behind Quiksilver’s run. In the second half Quiksilver finally realized that they were supposed to win the game due to sheer height advantages in 4 of the 5 positions. David Aguilera (10 pts, 4rbs, 3 asts) along with Earl, scored easy baskets with uncontested layups, on the break or from a teammates assist. Richard Coombs (7 pts, 9 rebs) provided a huge boost off the bench with his rebounding. Late in the game, the ball was in GM Richard Hak’s (12 pts, 7 rbs, 3 asts) hands and he delivered. Making key plays and hitting the go ahead three pointer in the final minutes to give Quiksilver a 55-54 lead that they would hold on to, and come away with the win.
Final Score
Quiksilver: 60
HighLife: 59
#7 Burger Kings vs. #8 HiiiPower
The final game of the evening took place when the defending champs HiiiPower took the court to take on the Burger Kings. Both teams played higher seeds throughout the playoffs to make it to this point and they would not disappoint. Due to their earlier loss in division 2, the dynamic duo of Sango Niang and Chris Fowler had revenge on their mind and would not allow their team (s) to go 0-2 on championship Sunday.
The Burger Kings started the game hot, and had a smooth flow and rhythm to their offense. They got out to an early lead which was quickly made up by HiiiPower. Tony Banta (16 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts) was the main catalyst behind the Burger Kings first half surge. His jump shot was simply money, and his teammates fed off of him. David Aguilera was “eating up” whatever Banta was cooking and poured in (15 points, 5 rebs, 3 asts) to help his team get out to an early lead. With 13 mins left in the game, things seemed to be going south for HiiiPower, their shots weren’t falling and the Burger Kings were, Alvaro Nunez (10 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts) and Mike Criscione (10 pts, 7 rbs, 6 asts) hit shots that pushed their teams lead to as much as 13 points, before HiiiPower finally decided to turn it on.
Climbing out of the 13 point hole looked very easy for the team as they put the ball in Chris Fowler’s ( 20 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts, 3 stls) and allowed him to blow past the defense and get to the basket to finish lay-ups that weren’t falling in the first half. Sango Niang (33 pts, 7 rebs, 2 stls, 3 blks) followed, hitting shot after shot and dare I say making defenders fall with his crossover moves. Niang and Fowler combined for 53 of the teams 68 points. Their overall team defense is what really won the game for them. Late in the second half they applied a press that the opposition had trouble breaking. In applying that press HiiiPower managed to record multiple steals which led to many fast break opportunities and easy lay-ups to help them put the game out of reach. Xavier Brasswell really put the game on ice for his team as he hit two 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes to solidify the win.
When your two guards combined from 53 of your 68 points, in certain situations you may lose. However HiiiPower thrives on their two guard set. Team defense and a scoring barrage by arguably the best duo in the league helped HiiiPower to their second Division 3 championship.
Final Score
HiiiPower: 68
Burger Kings: 59
-Nathan Apolonio
IBL Full Court Press 