In what will go down as one of the best Metro League Finals of all-time, Canada One defend their title for a third consecutive season squeaking out a win in a nail-biter of a game against the new kids of the Metro League, Vancouver United.
All-star Navi Sekhon was the star of the show scoring 38 points including a stunning and one game winner with just seconds left on the clock helping Canada One hold off a second half charge by a very scrappy United squad to remain champs.
United started the game behind the eight ball getting into foul trouble just seven minutes in. C1 took advantage of the free foul shots which caused frustration amongst the United team and it showed. C1 go on a 9-0 run at the 11 minute mark with United’s sharp-shooter Hardeep Bassram finally erasing the run by draining a three but seeing his team down 12, 32-20 just ten minutes into the game. C1 keep the pressure on through the first half with Anthony Lao controlling the offensive glass and scoring at ease while Navi Sekhon nailed threes and drove to the hole earning C1 a comfortable 61-54 lead going into the break.
Taking a page out of C1’s book, United came out in the second half attacking the hoop and earning trips to the stripe with C1 getting themselves in foul trouble just six minutes in. The pace begins to pick up with both teams scoring in bunches. United score on 12 straight possessions at one point with Mio Kovacevic heating up and Bassram going off, dropping threes from all over. With the game knotted at 81, Kovacevic scores on a tough drive to give United their first lead since early in the first half, but C1 battle back with all-star Clayton Crellin who got into foul trouble in the first half, starting to take over. C1 retake the lead scoring in transition as they love to do. With just over three minutes to go Howard Kelsey hits a huge three to give C1 the 112-106 lead, but Bassram and Kovacevic just keep scoring for United.
Down three with just over 30 seconds to go in the game, Bassram hits an off-balance three to tie the game at 120. C1 get the ball to Sekhon who takes the lane dropping a circus shot getting fouled to go to the stripe with just 10 seconds to go on the clock. Sekhon nails the free throw as United take the ball down court trying to get it Bassram. With Bassram locked up by the C1 defenders point-guard Greg Jackson finds himself forced to jack up a prayer three-pointer from the corner that hits the inside of the rim and bounces out. Canada One earn the 123-120 victory in what was the best game of the entire season.
United get a massive game from Mio Kovacevic who scored 26 points, 19 coming in the second half. Hardeep Bassram led all scorers with 44 points including eight three-pointers.
On the winning side, Navi Sekhon edged out teammate Anthony Lao scoring 38 points while Lao put in an impressive 35 points while hauling in nine rebounds, five on the offensive glass.
1st Team
Navi Sekhon – Canada One
Mark Tasic – Heart, Hustle and Soul
Taylor Cherris-Wilding-3D
Clayton Crellin – Canada One
Jason Dmyterko – Ballhawgs
Hardeep Bassram – Vancouver United
Brent Charleton – Heart, Hustle and Soul
Mike Baxter – EA Sports
Ben Lee – Bullets
Chris Horwood – Velvet Hoop
Igor Dutina – Sonic Boom
Neb Aleksic – SWAT
James Hudson – EA
Sherlan John – SWAT
2nd Team All-Metro League
Paul Rother – Sonic Boom
Jason Boering – Heart, Hustle and Soul
Nic Paret – SWAT
Nate Ashmead – 3D
Mio Kovacevic – Van United
Anthony Lao – Canada One
Matt Maher – EA
Frank Liu – Ice
Jeremiah Al – Nike
Darren Spithoff – SWAT
Lonzell Webster – Sonic Boom
Karlo Villanueva – Heart, Hustle and Soul
Ben Dove- Bullets
Ben Peco – Velvet Hoop
Vancouver Metro Basketball League showcases it’s 2 top teams at the Season 3 Championship Game in Vancouver, BC.
Monday December 21st @ 9pm
(2) Canada One vs (4) Vancouver United
(2) Canada One 87 – (8) 3D 73
Canada One hold strong to their reigning champion crown with a win over the Cinderella kids, 3D. Navi Sekhon led the way with a 28 points for C1 who had to battle hard throughout the first half to keep the scrappy 3D from staying in the game. 3D slayed the Metro Leagues top team Heart,Hustle & Soul in the first round but were without two of their top players in Nate Ashmead and Jason Hubbs, this however didn’t stop them from putting up a fight. 3D’s forward Malcolm Campbell controlled the boards in the first half putting in 12 of his 22 in the first 25 mins helping his squad keep pace with C1 down 37-31 at the break. C1 brought the heat in the second half turning 3D’s ice cold shooting into fast break points as they love to do. 3D’s sensational point guard Taylor Cherris did his best to keep his team in putting down down a game high 30 points, 19 coming in the second half, but C1 was just too hot to handle as Sekhon kept up his torrid pace scoring and getting to the stripe with ease while captain Howard Kelsey tossed in 13 of his 18 in the final 25, including three from the land beyond helping Canada One return to the finals to defend their title for a third consecutive season.
(4) Vancouver United 70 – (3) SWAT 58
Vancouver United, the best newcomer team in the Metro League advance to their first final with a commanding grind it out win over SWAT. Led by a balanced attack United held a slim three point lead going into the half. SWAT, undermanned with just seven players kept pace with United led by forwards Darren Spithoff and Nic Paret who were cleaning up the glass on both ends of the floor. United however had two big men of their own controlling the paint with Kerri Westmore and Jeremy Alexander throwing a block party for their squad. SWAT was able to keep United’s sharp-shooters Hardeep (11 points) and AJ (9 points) relatively quiet but couldn’t contain Mio who had a game high 20 points with most of them coming in the second half when United started to pull away. Down six in the final minute SWAT turned the ball over on a botched inbound that sealed their fate. SWAT was left to foul sending United to the line where they iced the game. Spithoff led all scorers for SWAT dropping 18 in a losing effort while United had four players score double digits helping them earn a chance to win the Metro League title in their inaugural season.
Games for Wednesday December 16, 2009
8:00 p.m. Game (3) SWAT vs. (4) Vancouver United (Best newcomer team)
9:00 p.m. Game (2) Canada One (Defending Champions) vs. (8) 3D (last season’s finalists)
(8) 3D 89 – (1) Heart Hustle and Soul 79
Led by #5 Malcolm Campbell with a game-high 31 points, 3D beat the #1 team in the Vancouver Metro Basketball League this evening by double digits in a match most thought would be another Heart Hustle and Soul Victory. HHS was led by powerhouse forward Mark Tasic who continued his top-ten scoring leader numbers with 21 points and double digit rebounds. 3D moves on the Vancouver Metro Basketball League 2009 FINAL FOUR this Wednesday, December 16, at Vancouver College here in the lower mainland.
Vancouver Metro Basketball League - Fall 2009 Semi-Finals (3D HHS)
Vancouver Metro Basketball League - Mark Tasic leads Heart Hustle and Soul
Vancouver Metro Basketball League - 3D Led by Josh Booy and Malcolm Caldwell
(1) Heart, Hustle & Soul vs (8) 3D
3D have had a rough season due to an up and down roster and will need a big game out of Jason Hubbs and Nate Ashmead to be able to hang around with the leagues top team. H.H.S. and their deep line-up will be too strong in the end for 3D to handle. This will be a very exciting game with the H.H.S. pulling away in the end.
Prediction – H.H.S. 93 – 3D 84
(2) Canada One vs (7) EA Sports
The reigning champs are looking to repeat and first up on their hit list is EA Sports. EA will hang around for awhile in this one, but in the end it will be C1 in a walk.
Prediction – Canada One 103 – EA Sports 78
(3) SWAT vs (6) Sonic Boom
This is a rematch for these two teams as they faced one another in the final week with SWAT earning the win. Both teams however were without most of their roster during that meeting, so this should be a much different looking game but with a similar result. SWAT with their significant size advantage will pull out the victory as it will be a seesaw battle that goes down to the wire.
Prediction – SWAT 86 – Sonic Boom 82
(4) Vancouver United vs (5) Bullets
This game could be the best of the first round as these teams stack up quite well with each other. The Bullets are a dangerous team that have one of the deadliest players in the Metro League in Ben Lee and should make quite a game out of this one. United however have a sniper of their own in sharp-shooter Hardeep who goes deep, often. This will go down to the buzzer with United taking it in dramatic fashion.
Predicition – Vancouver United 79 – Bullets 77
Mike Mahar - EA Sports
TEAM W L GB
Heart Hustle & Soul 11 0 -
Canada One 10 1 1
SWAT 8 3 3
Vancouver United 7 4 4
Bullets 6 5 5
Sonic Boom 6 5 5
EA Sports 5 6 6
3D 5 6 6
Team Ice 4 7 7
Velvet Hoop 4 7 7
Team Nike 1 10 10
Ballhawgs 0 11 11
Mark Tasic - Heart, Hustle and Soul
