24/7 vs Desert Eagles

Bingo! To start off this Sunday we have the top two teams from our Power Rankings squaring off in a matinee special. We cannot say enough about this game – this is potentially the game of the year! Anything and everything is worth mentioning, as the power starting lineups of both teams have been well-documented in our past analysis. Perhaps what is most interesting about this matchup is the similarities in athleticism but difference in style between the teams. 24/7 is a run and gun offense that is not afraid to execute in the halfcourt set. The Desert Eagles are halfcourt-execution professionals with the athleticism to have Walid and Harvey run the fast break every now and then. The entire league will be focused on the Desert Eagles defensive approach towards beheading 24/7. Just perhaps we will get a good glimpse on how to guard 24/7 successfully. We expect to see Harvey doing his best to shadow Yassine, which should be phenomenal to watch, Kaashif on Mohamed, and Farhan and Adam alternating on Jon Roman. What will be interesting to see is how the Desert Eagles use Walid. Do they cover him on Jeff or do they rely on his for rebounds? Keep in mind that Walid is coming off of a 33 point, and even more impressive, a 19 rebound effort against the Red Jags. If they don’t put Walid on Jeff, who stops Jeff? The possibilities are endless. On offense, we expect the Desert Eagles to get their points while grinding it out as usual. Perhaps the biggest factor working against the Desert Eagles will be fatigue. Can they give 110% on defense and have enough to finish the deal on offense with a thin bench? Traditional logic says no. On the flip side, 24/7 is coming off a convincing win against the A-Team in a rematch of last year’s Finals. Something worth mentioning is that 24/7’s blowout games come against seemingly good competition, which begs the question – does 24/7 play to their opponents level? If that is the case, the Desert Eagles are in for a long afternoon. Prediction: 24/7 over the Desert Eagles 63 to 54.

Primetime vs Wolverines

If there has been any team that has embodied inconsistency, it has been Primetime. The last three weeks have been enough proof: Week 5 they get blown out by the Desert Eagles, Week 6 they trash the Force, Week 7 they lose to a slumping Outlaws team. Meanwhile in our opinion, the Wolverines have been steadily rising an elite team in the East. Two close losses to 24/7 and the Desert Eagles and two handy defeats of the Red Jags and the Force in their last 4 weeks have raised some eyebrows. We will be interested in how Primetime chooses to guard Alain Wehder. The word around the league is that he is containable, but no team has yet accomplished it. 24/7 and the Desert Eagles have done the best job in containing him, and the results speak for themselves – both teams beat the Wolverines! There lies a possibility that Khuram Shahzad might use his athleticism to guard Alain for stretches in the game. One thing for certain – for the Wolverines to succeed, Alain will have to rely on his shot as Primetime boasts the best pain defense in the league with Khuram and Stanley anchoring their defense. Shergeel Salim’s continual improvement will be key towards the Wolverines finding a way to win. For Primetime, they will need to find someone to consistently back up Khuram offensively and earn his trust. Niraj Ghai and the rest of the supporting cast is coming off a disappointing game against the Outlaws. They should rebound well against the Wolverines. Nonetheless, we expect the Wolverines to take this one 69 to 60.

A-Team vs Force

Tale of 2 stories.  A-Team came into the season with strong hopes but find themselves in the bottom of the barrel.  Tough losses to some of the top teams and a roster that never shows up makes it hard for them to swallow.  Josh Frazier has done what he can to keep the A-Team competitive, but they have not been able to captilize.  With playoffs fast approaching, this crew better get their heads straight and make sure they can pull off some upsets.  Force on the other hand started the season off very well and came in with a new look.  But with the improved talent in the East, their changes were not big enough.  Joe Fitt is likely gone for them and they are looking for ways to win games.  At this point, we can expect for these two teams to finish where they currently stand unless something drastic changes in the next few weeks.  They both have a shot to move up a spot or two and avoid playing 24/7 in the first round of playoffs, interesting to see who it will be.  Experts are predicting Force steps up to the plate in a big game 58 to 52.

Outlawz vs Red Jaguars

In the Outlaws successfully ending their losing streak last week against Primetime, they showed what grit and toughness they have. For those who watched the game, it wasn’t a pretty victory but they got the job done. Siju Lukose broke out with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and Tobin Varghese’s steady scoring was able to seal the deal. Nikil Khuram’s presence was limited by the stealth paint defense of Primetime. The entire league knows of the prowess of Tobin and Nikil, but it seems like every elite team in the East has a legitimate 3^rd option to rely on at times. Who will that be for the Outlaws? Will it be Siju Lukose, Joel Enai, or Love Constant? This will be an interesting to see. The Red Jags are coming of a near victory against the Desert Eagles. If any loss can be viewed at with a silver lining, perhaps this one is it. One thing we have noticed is that Red Jags big-man Ceon Stuart has had a huge target on his back all season, both from referees and from opposing players. It has resulted in numerous technicals and the threat of suspension. Perhaps the Red Jags need to limit his minutes or have him come off the bench. However, he should have a relatively easy time scoring the basketball against the Outlaws, as they do not have the height to match up with him. Also of interesting is how the Outlaws will guard point guard Dennis. When Dennis is contained, the Red Jags seem to be lifeless. The team’s Week 4 meeting showed the Red Jaguars coming away with a 60-53 victory, which was the start of a three game slump for the Outlaws. Now the Red Jags are on a three game slump of their own, with losses to the Wolverines, A-Team, and the Desert Eagle. In a battle of mid-level teams in the East, we expect this one to be a close one. The Outlaws pull this one out 63 – 61.

 Hi Rizerz vs. NYC Warriors

What a battle.  As everyone expected, HR and the Warrors went down to the wire in this game.  Haron proved he is the real deal once again by taking the game over and preventing the Hi Rizerz to gain a comfortable lead.  This is now the third time in four weeks HR has been tested.  Is this the same team that was so dominant early in the season?  In their favor, Jassi and Ditar were MIA which affects the game hugely.  But in the end, a win is a win.  HR although not as deep as usual, was able to hold off the Warriors for a win.  They are now solidifying themselves as the #1 team come playoff time, very similar to last year.  Lets hope they dont hope for an early exit.  NYC Warriors on the other hand will need to really push for some last minute momentum if they want to steal the #8 spot in the standings.  It will be tough, but the team has to figure out a way to help Haron.  HR wins in a close one 77 - 75.

Panthers vs. Storm
One thing is certain after this game, Mike McDuffie is a difference maker and his absence was felt this game.  The every so inconsistent Panther were able to

manhandle Storm during this game.  Huge game by Sammie Exantus as he dropped 33 points.  The rest of the army of Panthers all chipped in to help solidify this win.  Storm on the other hand was led by Andy with 21 of his own points.  The question remains, will Storm be able to field a team for the playoffs?  Where is Ming?  There was so much talk about his mid-season signing after Strong Island dropped out.  But he has not been able to help Storm out.  With a full squad, they are sure to make some noise, but for now they are struggling to get the pieces together.  Going to be interesting the next few weeks to see how this team fairs.  Panthers win BIG 85 - 65.

SWAT vs. RUKUS

The finals rematch. This was definitely the game of the week and it did not disappoint.  Glad to see that tons of fans were in attendance to see these 2 teams battle it out.  This game was a tale of 2 halves.  The first half was very evenly matched, with Mike Bravo leading the way for RUKUS and draining 3 after 3.  SWAT was unable to really find a groove but their depth at every position kept them into the game.  Their lack of defense crept up on them in the second half as RUKUS was able to open up with a 10-2 run and grab offensive rebounds left and right.  Mahdi took advantage of his length and was instrumental in RUKUS' second half assault.  Reyaad and co. tried to make a late game rush and caused some timely turnovers with their full court press, but it wasnt enough as RUKUS walks away the victor in this one.  Going to be interesting if these 2 teams meet again in the finals.  There is a competitive spirit these 2 teams have that embody the SABL and its amazing to watch.  RUKUS wins 93 - 81.

Astoria Bulls vs. Titans

For the fans that stayed and watched this one, it looked like the Bulls were on their way to their first SABL win.  They were dominating most of the game and even found themselves up by 8 at one point.  The game was literally decided in the last 5 minutes of the second half.  Tom Job carried the load for his team as he drained a game high 5 3 pointers.  The rest of the team contributed as they usually did and was led by Daniel Chin and his excellent court vision.  The Bulls on the other hand show a lot of promise.  They have a hustle and heart that many teams lack.  Seems like this group will have a very bright future ahead of them.  Big man Enes brings you back to the days of the early 90's in the NBA with his post moves and big man play as he dropped another double-double. Best part about this team is they are young and hungry.  And that can get you places.  This game didnt go their way but showed they can play with the best of them.  Titans are solidifying themselves as the real deal and show that any of their players can carry the load any different week.  Titans win 72 - 63.

Ballers vs. 7th Letter Entertainment / Tic Tavern

The closing game turned out to be a very competitive game that went south for 7th Letter.  They were coming off a 2 game winning streak and needed this big win against the Ballers.  The game will most likely have an effect come playoff time seeding and was taken very seriously by both teams.  7th Letter have not seen a team like the Ballers yet in the SABL.  Ballers take pride in their defense and penetration, and it was evident in this game.  Suleman and Manjot were able to get to the basket while causing havoc on the defensive end.  Carl Lee of 7th Letter was on his way to a monster game before being ejected for cursing.  If he had not been ejected, the outcome may have been very different.  Goes to show how important 1 player can be for his team.  But not to discredit the Ballers, they showed up when they had to and locked up a very important game.  This might be the start of their mini win streak before we head into playoff time.  Ballers win 64 - 54.