Fraser’s Contribution Not In The Stat Sheet
Jason Fraser had it rolling all day long at the Big Time. In the semifinals, he scored 27 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in an eye-opening performance. In the final game, an 84-73 win over Tim Thomas Playaz, he scored just 12 points. However, it wasn’t offensively where he left his mark.
Prior to the title game, Playaz center Mario Boggan was having his way with defenders. Against the taller Fraser, Boggan wasn’t nearly as effective. Fraser likened guarding Boggan to playing against Charles Barkley. He stood his ground, changed the way he guarded him in each half and though he didn’t stop the 310-pound runaway train, he did slow it down.
Meanwhile, Fraser passed the scoring duties to his teammates and they responded. Combo guard Taquan Dean was money when it mattered as he tallied 15 points in the second half. Villanueva was the leading scorer with 20 and Sumpter chipped in 18, most of which came in the first half.
Elijah Ingram led the Playaz with 18 points, but it wasn’t pretty. He shot just 4-13 from downtown in the game. He didn’t take a 2-point field goal until late in the second half. Now, fatigue had to come into play for everyone and it looked as though it took it’s toll on Ingram’s game off the drive. Our theory is that since he’s a streaky jump shooter, he’s got to heat himself up with the dribble drive game. No drives and buckets tends to equal a long day from deep and that was the case in the title game.
Nonetheless, Ingram was a big reason why the Playaz advanced and he certainly had a huge week.
Sunday’s Scores
Championship
Long Island Panthers 84, Tim Thomas Playaz 73
Semifinals
Long Island Panthers 74, Baltimore Select 68
Tim Thomas Playaz 83, Hunting Park Warriors 80 (OT)
Quarterfinals
Long Island Panthers 76, NY Ravens 64
Hunting Park Warriors 63, New Orleans Jazz 60
Baltimore Select 76, Michigan Mustangs 69
Tim Thomas Playaz 63, Atlanta Celtics 59