FALL 2009, SEASON 14
PLAYOFF PREVIEW
DIAMOND DIVISION
“The Real Season”
DIAMOND DIVISION
By: Hanz Jimenez
(2) B3 Sports Training vs. (3) SICKWIDIT
Diamond Division MVP Terrence Martin led defending Champions B3 Sports to a 4-4 record this season. He’ll lead B3 against his former Platinum Division team, SICKWIDIT, a team that has won 2 straight.
Baldwin Park team SICKWIDIT is rolling late in the season and GM of the Season Tino Aldaco has a lot to do with the team’s development. In less than a year, the team has steadily moved up from Gold Division to Platinum and now Diamond. They are led by all-around guard James Griffin and he averaged a division-high 5.3 apg, 6.8 rpg. He averaged 9.8 ppg while Chris Reeves led the team with 24.2 ppg, 4.3 apg. Reeves logged the most blocks and steals with 7 and 14 respectively. Sharp-shooter Gary Beaird has been an afterthought this season and he is averaging 12.2 ppg with 11 three-pointers. Larry Parker has been playing like a man on a mission in the last 2 games and he averaged 19.5 ppg, 4.0 apg. SICKWIDIT has plenty of weapons to upset the Champs and many are wondering if the Champions can make it to the Finals.
“T-Bone” Terrence Martin averaged 20.4 ppg, 1.9 apg and 6.3 rpg. Several league analysts named him MVP at the “Round Table” last weekend, a surprise since it was a near unanimous choice. Last season’s MVP Dion Bailey averaged 14.9 ppg, 1.6 spg and 3.7 apg. Jino was the third leading scorer with 12.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg. The Champs seem to be a 3-man team this season but T-Bone has enough Championship experience to lead B3 to the next round. Will anyone from SICKWIDIT stop him?
(1) Warriors vs. (4) USUCK
With Platinum Division affiliate team Relics getting eliminated from post-season action last week, expect Warriors to heavily focus on this match-up. Warriors lost 2 straight games to end the season but expect a full roster to show up as 6-2 Warriors face off against 3-5 USUCK.
The last time these two teams met, USUCK upset Warriors on Week 7. The head-to-head record is 1-2 in favor of Warriors. Cisco Acevado was a runner-up for MVP of the season and he averaged 24.6 ppg, 1.9 apg. “C-Note” led the division in 3-pointers with 33 three-pointers. Former Regular Season and Finals MVP Sean Harris averaged 16.4 ppg, 4.0 apg while Ryan Snook averaged 14.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg. The x-factor will be Defensive Player of the Season Robbie Banks. Banks led the division with 24 blocks and averaged 9.0 spg. While he’s a huge factor on the defensive end, he’s shown his ability to hit the mid range and he could be the unsung hero on the offensive end.
“Opponents will on Acevado, Sean Harris and Andrew Knox but in the postseason, someone else needs to step up,” said a league analyst. “Will Robbie Banks do it? Lasalle Thomas or Brandon Clemons?”
USUCK’s Kenneth Ubom led both Diamond and Platinum Division in scoring and steals. In Diamond, he averaged 22.3 ppg had scored a division-high 178 points. His 15 steals was a division-high and he averaged 1.9 spg. Amos Battle, former League MVP, averaged 1.7 spg, 15.4 ppg while Dedrick Bates averaged 17.0 ppg, 2.7 apg. Both Ubom and Bates will play a heavy role in their respective Platinum Division teams. Expect Amos Battle and Osh Dabbas to elevate their game in the post-season.
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