MVP Ready to Slam The Competition

FORT WORTH: Semifinals Predictions

By James Jones | Fort Worth League Coordinator

Upsets are great and all, and we had a couple this season, but it is good to see the four best teams left playing for the title. This week will end our fall season, but before the winning team is crowned, lets break down the semifinals matchups and predict who will win. 

7 p.m. - No. 1 Ball Don't Lie (6-2) vs. No. 4 Rough Riders (5-4)

The all important rubber match. The Rough Riders took the first one by 19 in Week 1. Ball Don't Lie has come a long way since then in both team chemistry and performance. Ball Don't Lie was able to hold off the Rough Riders in overtime for a one-point victory in round two. I expect this game to mirror that second game and be close.

The interesting possible individual matchups could be Dominique Burnett or Champ Grayson guarded by current Defensive Player of the Season, Sean Thomas. The second one is the slashing speed of JaDarrian Brown guarded by Champ or Dom. The third intriguing matchup is MVP candidate, Carl Granger, being guarded by James Mauro or Will Sweeney. The Rough Riders are more athletic and should try to use that to make BDL's big men run and possibly tire out. However, BDL is the league's No. 1 seed and hottest team and playing well together. So who gets the nod?

Prediction: Ball Don't Lie 72, Rough Riders 68

8 p.m. - No. 2 LT Colleyville (6-2) vs. No. 3 Pink Flamingos (7-2)

The Pink Flamingos took care of business last week to advance to a rubber match game with LT Colleyville. The trash talking will be intense and should be closely monitored by the refs as both of these teams will bring it to try to establish their place at the top of league dominance. LT Colleyville welcomed themselves to our league in Week 1 with a 30-point blowout of the reigning champs, Pink Flamingos. That didn't sit well with the Birds and they returned the favor with a 22-point win of their own in Week 6, holding LT Colleyville to less than half of their season average of 85 ppg.

There are two key factors for LT Colleyville to come out on top. One, knock down shots. If they shoot the ball well, in particular, Demond Mallet, who led the league in scoring at 35.5 ppg and had a game knocking down 15 3s and another with 12. The second key is Beau Muhlbach showing up and playing the whole game. He is a huge difference maker. The Birds aren't dependent on one thing to be successful as they are well rounded. But if they don't have their bigs they are a much different team and would face an uphill battle to overcome that. When it comes to individual matchups, Colleyville doesn't have anyone that can straight up cover MVP candidates Cody Brazelton or Chad Rykhoek, but then again who does? Will the Birds put defensive stopper Derrick Moon or athlete Greg Jackson on Demond Mallet or will they choose to go zone and potentially leave shooters open in the zone gaps?

Prediction: Pink Flamingos 74, LT Colleyville 66