THE DREAM LEAGUE
Asian American / Open Basketball Leagues
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Y Tu Mama Tambien 47, Da Bien 42 |
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YTMT Nabs #1 Seed, Holds Da Bien to Season Low |
| You couldn't have asked for a better scenario. Number one playing number two. First place and a #1 seed on the line. The last game of the season. No one on injured reserved as an excuse. The stage was set and on Super Selection Sunday Da Bien came into YTMT's house at Baruch to see if they could brush aside YTMT for the fourth time in a row dating back to last season.
In the summer season, Da Bien laid the wood to YTMT three times, including once in the playoffs by 17, to put to rest any questions as to who was king of the court. In the newly realigned league, the two teams were shuffled off into different conferences this season and wouldn't face each other in the regular season unless they were to finish top seeds in their respective conferences. Roll forward to yesterday and we find this is exactly what happened as the two teams clinched first place in the Uptown and Downtown conferences weeks ago. And after yesterday, we found that there is now a new king of the court - if only for just one day. With revenge on their minds after the trio of punishing defeats, YTMT came out yesterday with guard Dave Scott in their lineup for the first time against Da Bien. Due to injury, last season Scott missed every game against Da Bien. With everyone expecting him to make a vast difference, he didn't disappoint. Scott scored 15 points and played stellar D (3 steals) against Da Bien's all-star Kevin Park, limiting him to 9 points (and 5 turnovers) to help lead YTMT (6-1) over Da Bien (6-1) in a low scoring affair 47-42. Stifling defense on both sides made it tough for either team to consistently find the basket, but in the end it was the difference at the free throw line that helped YTMT pin Da Bien with their first loss on the season. Da Bien went 1-7 from the stripe while YTMT had twice as many attempts and converted most of them - 11-14. The fact Da Bien only got 7 free throw attempts was in large part due to YTMT's defense. They played Da Bien straight up in man to man, but each defender was assigned with the extra duty of also keeping a close eye on playing help defense whenever one of Da Bien's main threats got the ball. This plan worked to perfection for YTMT as on several occasions, either Park or Shawn de los Reyes would be forced into driving and taking a tough shot or passing the ball off at the last second after meeting a wall of defenders. While the game was anticipated as a heavyweight bout, as it unfolded, it played out more of as a dance competition. Whenever one team would make a move, the other would usually come back with their own jiggy that would even the score. It was like watching the movie You Got Served each quarter, while everyone was baiting and waiting for the grand finale in the 4th. The first period ended in a 10 all draw as Shawn scored 8 of his team's points including bagging 2 triples. Scott nailed a three of his own in the quarter and Paul Kim scored 4 points from inside. Scott held KP in check as he only got one shot attempt in the quarter. KP, who is so adept at leaking out and beating his man down the court where he gets a lot of easy transition buckets, was shadowed by Scott all over the court. This chess match type of pace was like watching a ballroom foxtrot competition with each team matching the other move for move. The ebb and flow of the game accelerated to a higher pace in the 2nd frame as after a quiet first period, the teams exploded for a combined 33 points. Daryl de los Reyes entered the game and promptly wreaked havoc on YTMT's interior defense by drawing a couple fouls and scoring 3 quick points. PK battled back for YTMT inside and earned two free throws which he converted and the game suddenly shifted into guard overdrive. KP got on track and dropped a triple and a layup while Dave Wong and Young Yu delivered some offensive firepower. Wong, whose addition to the lineup from last season has bolstered the rotation, scored off a quick dribble penetration before Yu gone and went unconscious for a spell, scoring 7 straight YTMT points, all from outside - a pair of jumpers sandwiched around a three ball from the wing. Yu also had the task of guarding Shawn, and while Shawn got 4 points in the quarter, Yu chased him all over the court and did a good job of denying him the ball while his teammates provided ample help defense. Da Bien had a little more protein in their shake though during this quarter and went into the half with a 28-25 advantage after KP and Daryl scored to close out the half. If the 2nd quarter was a breakdance off, the third frame abruptly turned into a chest to chest, arm in arm slowdance that only Keith Sweat (slow) and Jason Kidd's kid (ugly) would be proud of. Both teams shot a combined 5 of 30 from the field and scored 10 points in total. The teams spent a great deal of the quarter all over each other, boxing out, bumpin' and thumpin', clanging and clanking. Daryl and Jeff Tu managed to find the basket for Da Bien once each in the quarter, while Scott and Yu did the scoring for YTMT. The game had slowed to such a crawl that as it headed into the final quarter on the season with Da Bien up a single point at 32-31, one had to wonder what possible direction this dance would turn in. How about a little swing? YTMT step-step-rocked the quarter, swung momentum their way, and for the first time in 4 tries, outscored Da Bien when it mattered most to end their drought against the defending champs and erase any detractors who felt Da Bien would run away with the league, the playoffs, and the title again without any resistance. It was no gimme though for YTMT, and they had to sweat it out. Da Bien held the advantage for much of the quarter and each time they would open up a three point lead, which was considered large in this tight game, Yu would come to the rescue. Shawn opened up the scoring on the quarter by burning through YTMT's defense from the wing for a lay-up that was his only basket of the 2nd half (he finished with 14 to lead the team). Scott dropped in two free throws to pull them within 1 again. KP then scored a basket to go up three again before Yusik Choi had a chance to knot the game as he got a basket and one chance. He missed the free throw however, and Daryl did damage and scored a basket right up in PK's grill to extend it to 3 again. Yu came down and calmly sank a threeball to tie the game up at 38. Julius Cuaresma then hit a shot for Da Bien before Scott was fouled on a dribble drive and made only 1 of 2 to leave YTMT down 1. After Daryl (11 points, 6 boards) abused the post again and stretched the lead to 3 again, it appeared that perhaps Da Bien was beginning to steal the momentum. Yu, however, stepped up again and drilled another huge trey to tie the game up at 42 in what turned into a statement game for him. He finished the game with 15 points and 4 rebounds. After, a fired up Yu said, "We just played with alotta heart today. Our guys really stepped up the D and helped out when they had to. We wanted this win, especially after last season. We know we can play with these guys. They're a good team, but we were not going to lose again." His three was a huge shot in the arm for YTMT, as after that, their intensity turned up 3 notches and Da Bien was held scoreless the rest of the way with 1:30 left. There was still the matter of taking the lead for YTMT though as they were tied after the three. After Tu missed a shot from in close, YTMT grabbed the rebound and came down the other end where Scott stepped up and connected on a jumper to give them the lead they would not relinquish. "I had no legs at that point in the game. I was pretty gassed, but I got the jumper to go. Sometimes things just fall your way," said Scott after the game as he was looking forward to a well earned Popeye's meal. YTMT iced the game with 3 out of 4 free throws by Scott and PK (8 points, 8 boards) and finally turned this matchup into a rivalry. A rivarly doesn't contain one team always beating the stuffing out of the other, so with this win, and a looming rematch in the playoffs, if seeds hold to form in the end - this pairing of teams now has the makings of classic battles for seasons to come. By taking this game, YTMT grabs the top seed in the 8 team playoff round while Da Bien settles for the second seed. YTMT will face an upset minded 8th seed in the Mo' Betta Ballers while Da Bien goes up against 7th seeded A ball this Wednesday. |
Score by Quarters
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da Bien | 10 | 18 | 4 | 10 | - | 42 |
| Y Tu Mama Tambien | 10 | 15 | 6 | 16 | - | 47 |
Boxscore
| Da Bien - 42 | |||||||||||
| Player | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | F | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chin, Kevin | DNP | ||||||||||
| Cuaresma, Julius | 2 / 3 [0.667] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
| Delos Reyes, Darryl | 5 / 9 [0.556] | 0 / 1 [0.000] | 1 / 4 [0.250] | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | |
| De Los Reyes, Shawn | 6 / 11 [0.545] | 2 / 3 [0.667] | 0 / 2 [0.000] | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | |
| Du, John | 0 / 1 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gonzales, Shaun | 0 / 2 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Lee, Edward | 0 / 7 [0.000] | 0 / 4 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Park, Kevin | 4 / 11 [0.364] | 1 / 2 [0.500] | 0 / 1 [0.000] | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 9 | |
| Tu, Jeff | 2 / 6 [0.333] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| Wong, Rick | DNP | ||||||||||
| 19 / 50 [0.380] | 3 / 10 [0.300] | 1 / 7 [0.143] | 26 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 42 | ||
| Y Tu Mama Tambien - 47 | |||||||||||
| Player | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | F | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ang, Ark | DNP | ||||||||||
| Choi, Yusik | 2 / 11 [0.182] | 0 / 3 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Kim, James | 2 / 4 [0.500] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 4 / 4 [1.000] | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | |
| Scott, Dave | 4 / 11 [0.364] | 1 / 3 [0.333] | 6 / 8 [0.750] | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 15 | |
| Wong, David | 2 / 3 [0.667] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| Won Yi, Chun | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wu, Eric | 0 / 2 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Yang, Brian | 0 / 5 [0.000] | 0 / 1 [0.000] | 1 / 2 [0.500] | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Yu, Young | 6 / 18 [0.333] | 3 / 8 [0.375] | 0 / 0 [0.000] | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | |
| 16 / 54 [0.296] | 4 / 15 [0.267] | 11 / 14 [0.786] | 29 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 47 | ||