Basketball / CHAMPIONSHIP!

CHAMPIONSHIP!

Date:  Source: Center Court League

CHAMPIONSHIP:
MONEYBALL 69 vs. Thunder 65:  The score presents very well just how competitive this 12th Center Court League finals was.  Moneyball survived a major first punch by the Thunder, as Jon Bell and Andrew Russell came out on fire for the Thunder and they raced out to 9-0 and 21-9 leads.  But Moneyball didn't panic, clawed their way back into the game and a Devin Norris 29 footer as the halftime buzzer sounded put Moneyball up 38-35 at the half (think Dame Lilliard, but the halftime version shot).   Moneyball carried the momentum through the first 15 minutes of the second half and as they went up 13 it looked like this one might be over.  But following a Thunder timeout,  two quick threes by the Thunder got them right back in the game and it was single digits the rest of the way.  The Thunder's full court pressure was causing havoc and if not for a missed layup at the rim and a three that was all the way down and popped out, the Thunder might have pulled out the last minute comeback.   But the Thunder offense came from only 3 players and it might have caught up to them at the end in such a close game - and as the defending champs were sent to the line with 5 seconds left, up three only needing to make 1, they did just that to take home the title again.  Leading scorer Devin Norris led the way again with 19, while Clifton Riley chipped in 16.   For the Thunder Jon Bell dropped 25, while Andrew Russell scored 23.   

Championship Notes:  Moneyball have only lost 3 games over their back-to-back title runs and have won the league title 3 of 4 years.   

 

3rd PLACE:
KNICKS 80 vs. Spartans 76:  All you need to know about this game was C-Webb took his winning ways to the Knicks for one night, is undefeated on the season, is averaging double digits for the year and didn't get hurt.    (PS:  Knicks won as Kim Mbabbu (21 pts) and Andrew Gibb (17 pts) led a late comeback despite Josh Langford (18 pts) dropping a bunch of threes and Jack (28 pts) running way too much on the fast break)