BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, CYL, and CBA
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
27 April 2314
CBA Playoffs Update - Conference Title Results
NCC - #1 Salem Shadows vs #2 Medford Irish
Game 1: Medford 78 at Salem 99
Game 2: Medford 112 at Salem 121
Game 3: Salem 89 at Medford 111
Game 4: Salem 111 at Medford 110
Game 5: Medford 105 at Salem 113
SCC - #1 Airport Aviators vs #2 Southie Jammers
Game 1: Southie 95 at Airport 118
Game 2: Southie 109 at Airport 132
Game 3: Airport 125 at Southie 111
Game 4: Airport 91 at Southie 108
Game 5: Southie 115 at Airport 129
Commonwealth Championship Preview: Salem Shadows vs Airport Aviators
We are now to the finals for the 2313-14 CBA season with each of the conference champions set to face off in the seven-game series. Airport will host games 1 and 2 on April 27 (today) and 29, and potentially games 5 and 7 on May 5 and 9. Should the series go all seven games, it would end on May 9. Salem is the host of games 3 and 4 on May 1 and 3 and potentially Game 6 on May 7.
During the regular season, the Aviators dominated the Shadows, going 7-2. One of those two losses was a home loss in overtime, showing that Airport was the better team. The Aviators won games 1-4 and 7-9 in the series, with wins of 128-101, 119-105, 120-115, 127-199, 124-109, 115-107, and 114-99. In the two losses, games 5 and 6, Salem won 123-114 and 121-118 in OT.
Looking at the matchups, Airport's team statistics dominate Salem in just about every category but rebounding. Part of that rebounding advantage for the Shadows is due to C Licker Sam Arnold (17.0 PPG, 7.6 APG, and 12.6 RPG) who led the CBA in triple-doubles (15), which means he had double-digit (10 or more) statistics in three categories. That is considered a feat in competitive basketball. He also had 58 double-doubles.
Otherwise, Airport's threats are too much for the Shadows. Of course, scoring falls mainly to C DA Forte (25.9) and PF BB Whiteman (19.5), but the Aviators had five players averaging double figures in scoring, including SF Fickle Fitzpatrick (15.9), PF Eric Potter (12.0), and PF Brick Watson (11.6).
For Salem, the top two scorers were not Arnold but PG JB Letterhead (25.6) and SF Jamal Pleick (20.4). Other double-digit scorers on average were SF Arlick Lurk-Hunter (10.2) and SF Max Effort Alt (10.0). For rebounding, C Armand Penn (8.4) helped the Shadows to be effective there, which is what they will need to overcome a strong Airport team.
Prediction
We hate to do this for the first CBA championship, but there seems to be an initial gap between Airport and the rest of the league. Based on what we know of each team and how they performed in the regular season and playoffs, we have no choice but to predict a sweep. Airport 4, Salem 0.
NEBA Playoffs Results
The NEBA's first two rounds of the playoffs are a single-elimination tournament with the top four teams (division winners and two wildcards) playing in each conference. The championship is still in action with the Jamaica Plain Thunderbirds down 1-0 to the Nuka World Wheelz in the three-game New England Championship. Here are the results:
First Round
#4 Rockland Defenders 73 at #1 Jamaica Plain Thunderbirds 94
#3 Concord Colonels 87 vs #2 Portland Irish 109
#4 Fall River Sailors 116 vs #1 Plymouth Sea Dogs 104
#3 Brockton Spartans 95 vs #2 Nuka World Wheelz 110
Conference Finals
Portland 99 at Jamaica Plain 124
Fall River 87 at Nuka World 115
New England Championship
Game 1: Nuka World 118 at Jamaica Plain 95
POG: Topper Robinson, Nuka World - 28 points, 4 assists, 9 rebounds, 1 block
Game 2: Jamaica Plain at Nuka World (April 28)
Game 3 (if necessary): Nuka World at Jamaica Plain (April 30)