Well what an exciting weekend of playoff basketball. Teams came to play with energy and intensity while others showed no spark and it resulted in some early fishing. Four more teams purchased tickets for spring fishing on the Jersey shore and would have lots of time to reflect on a season of "almost".
With the dust settling only four teams remain but only two would continue their journey to the land of milk and honey. The final four teams are truly remarkable to say the least and their hard work and mental toughness are key components for their success. Who will step up for the challenge and reach the promise land? Which team will execute their game plan and not choke under the pressure? No one knows but here is what Milo thinks of the final four games which should prove to be one of the more exciting in a while.
Linden vs. Bronx:
Linden the number one seed battles Bronx the number five seed in a fierce competition between arch rivals. Both teams this year are considered two of the best three teams in the east. Linden proved to be too much for Bethel last week where they showed why they are considered an elite team. They pay attention to details and have the players who execute night in and night out.
Their coaching staff should get a lot of credit because they are the calm in the storm that help motivate, elevate and eliminate any distractions that might cause their team games. Now they set their sights on a trip to the championship with one more win against an opponent who in my mind is scary.
Bronx is back on the map and I don't know if anyone noticed they practically silenced all critics with their stellar performance thus far. I don't know if Coach Marvin will retire after this season but he sure has his team playing at a very high level. I picked Bronx in my power ranking as the number three seed because I felt they had a good mixture of guards and forwards. I predicted them to make it to the final four which they did but now they have a daunting task of facing one of the leagues' best in Linden.
Listen I was wrong last week when I picked them to lose to Hanson Place because it's hard to defeat a team of that caliber twice in one season. Not only that they did it in convincing fashion which says a lot. They are playing at a higher level than before and could very well make it all the way to the promise land.
Linden and Bronx both went 9 - 1 during the regular season. Both teams defeated the opponent the other lost too. Bronx lost to White Plains but defeated Hanson Place; Linden lost to Hanson Place but defeated White Plains. Both teams have good court leaders and guards that can shoot. I give the edge inside to Linden but the shooting edge to Bronx. This game would be very interesting because both teams can exploit their opponent's weakness.
Linden will have to slow down the game while Bronx would like to run as much as possible.
There will be lots of points scored this game and defensive stops would be critical. Linden should be able to do what they do and come to play with a controlled aggression; Bronx on the other hand plays a more up tempo game and has the play maker to answer. I believe this game will come down to three things: who makes the least turnovers, hits the most foul shots, and who gets more contributions from their bench. Both teams will score but which team wants it more would determine the winner. I understand that good coaches and teams usually use media, opposing players’ quotes, or other sources as ways of motivation. So for that reason I'm picking Bronx to upset Linden in a barn burner because I feel they are primed and ready to make a stand not only to defeat a giant but to also solidify a great coaching career for their coach Marvin who might be hanging it up after this season. Bronx defeats Linden in a high scoring, close game by three points.
Coney Island vs. White Plains:
Wow this should be a game number two seed White Plains faces off against number six seed Coney Island for a trip to the championship. Coney Island defeated Flatbush in a blow out which surprised me because of the competitive games they played in the past.
Coney Island is mentally tough and will need all their Zen powers as they face a battle tested White Plains team. White Plains destroyed GNYC last week and seems to be tuning up for this week's match up. Now the chips must fall on the court and only one team will walk off victorious. Coney Island hasn’t lost a game since January and frankly they remind me of a mini Cleveland team that refuse to lose. They have youth, size, good coaching, and intangibles that most teams wish they possess. They play hard and even on their bad nights still come to play. The question you ask is can they score on the interior against a team that deems the paint their house.
White Plains is no walk in the park team either, they have guards that bring it, forwards that can kill you softly, and big men that can intimidate and cause mismatches for most teams' interior. Intimidation would not be a factor this game because both teams are a reflection of their coaches.
Colin never backs down from a challenge and usually gets his outcome and Dave intensity and basketball IQ is too high for him to settle for mediocrity. This game should come down to one thing who takes advantage of the others mistakes.
Coney Island will bring it and know they are one game away from the Promised Land. White Plains have battled all year to get to this point and refuse to lose. Both teams have similar make up with dominant guards and big men so it's important that other bench players step up to the challenge. White Plains have better shooters but Coney Island has better forwards. This game should come down to the wire with lots of fouls and trash talking, but trust me when I say I expect it to be clean and low scoring. White Plains will need to push the ball and pick their spots while Coney Island would like to push it most times. Look for teams who key players have foul trouble because that would change the playing field for both teams. The team that has their starting five on the court in the last two minutes should win this game. I think White Plains will be ready but I feel Coney Island have too much size and young legs coming at them to be beaten. Look for a low scoring game with Coney Island defeating White Plains by 4 points.
Well I know my picks should be motivation for the teams I picked against but if you have to look at the write up for motivation then good luck. I know one thing that after this weekend two more teams would be going fishing on the Jersey shore. I have discount tickets for family members also so let's make it a date. Good luck to the four remaining teams and fans come out to support even if the teams are not your own. I guarantee that it would be exciting, intense and loud. Players play safe and stay tune for the championship game pick from Milo. God Bless.
