The finals of CBLe are finally upon us. If you took a poll at the beginning of the season, a lot of people may have guessed this exact matchup for the end game: Bloodline vs Scary Hours! What a game and SOOO many exciting subplots to talk about.
- The first one that absolutely must be talked about is the tension between former teammates Ihsan and Bieber. Together, they had a very successive partnership, winning a chip and also making an appearance in another. Inside reporters say they had a falling out and there is bad blood on both sides. This game is an absolute must win for both as the other will have bragging rights for the rest of time.
- The question on everyone’s mind: what do these 2 captains do so successfully that others can’t seem to replicate in terms of roster creation? Do they both have something on the commissioner that others do not? Or are they just a little bit ahead of the game in terms of knowing exactly what their team needs to get ahead when they are building their teams? This writer might be in the minority but they firmly believe both captains Wais and Ihsan are great captains and excellent GMs (and not master manipulators as many believe).
- There are a lot of whispers about making sure the game is played at JHS 217 rather than originally planned at RFK HS. Is this a ploy to give Monday teams an advantage ? Or as leadership is saying, “scheduling difficulties?” Either way, it is a little suspect for this late of a change to happen.
- Will injuries and new pickups be a factor? A lot of people thought the loss of big man Tariq would spell the end of the line for Bloodline but that has not been the case. The team has not only stayed afloat but also made it to the end. Meanwhile, Ihsan (this guy sure does know how to get his name in the headlines 👀) made a great (but controversial) pickup in Justice right before the playoffs started. Will that be the move to take them over the top? H2H matchups:
Justice vs Zhoorullah: As we just mentioned, Justice was picked up right before the playoffs started and has made an immediate impact (just ask Decepts and Space Curry). Justice is a long versatile defender who you can put on the other teams best player (although he has a habit of getting into foul trouble). Offensively he can attack the rim well but lacks shooting prowess. On the other side, Zhoorullah is the main big man for Bloodline since Tariq’s injury. Zhoorullah has played fantastic ball this season, showing signs of why he won MIP last season. He has stuck to his strengths this season (which is attacking the rim, rebounding, play defense) and avoiding taking too many 3s.
Advantage: Even
Yoseph vs Wais: Yoseph may be the best example of a player who is all about the win. The man comes in, plays defense, hits his man a few times, frustrates the other team, talks some smack, and hits the occasional 3. What more can you ask for from a good teammate? He’s matched up with Wais, one of most decorated players in CBL history. A lot of people seem to disrespect Wais’s game because his limited offensive game and poor free throwing shooting, but rarely give him his praise for his monster rebounding and paint lock down. It’s no surprise why his teams are always contenders, because having a player like him can only take you over the top. Just 2 seasons ago, almost all his teammates were putting their heads down as they were down big in the finals but he made sure to get his teammates back in the game with his voice , his intensity , and his game. Don’t underestimate this guy’s heart!
Advantage: Bloodline
Shahid vs Sharief: This is a matchup of 2 completely different but absolutely monster players. Shahid is Scary Hour’s Swiss Army knife. You need an nba range 3? Call Shahid. You need a big time rebound? Call Shahid. You need someone to guard the other team’s best player full court? Call Shahid. This guy can provide anything in a game, whether it’s intensity, fire, offense, defense , energy, or even anger. Speaking of anger, that seems to be the only thing that can take him out of his game so it would work in his team’s benefit if he keeps it under control. If Shahid is the Swiss Army knife, Sharief is more of a specialist. He’s an offensive weapon who can score at all 3 levels. In fact, because of the talent around him, he seems happy to take a backseat, which is a big problem. This man is way too talented to be taking this much of a backseat to anyone. There’s a reason his nickname is “CHEF”. Let the man cook!
Advantage: Scary Hours
Jerry vs Bieber: This may be the matchup that decides the game! Both of these guys are their respective team’s point forwards. But their games couldn’t be more different. Jerry might be the most versatile defender in the entire league. He goes one game from guarding Nafi to the next game guarding Leroy and Stan in the same game. If that doesn’t show his heart, then I don’t know what does. He also attacks the paint better than pretty much anyone in the league. However, his 3 point shooting has been absolutely putrid. Against Space Curry, it was tough with Stan under the basket. However, Bloodline doesn’t have a rim presence like that so he may just go at the rim relentlessly. Similar to Shahid for Scary Hours, Bieber is expected to do a lot for this Bloodline squad. As seasons have gone on, Bieber has expanded his game more and more. A lot of weakness in the past was predicated on his weak shooting but that is no longer the case. He is someone who shoot the long ball and attack the rim with grace. Although he’s not the most physical player, it seems he has learned a lot from playing with Nafi all those years on the art of timing on defense. He is rarely ever out of position on defense and you can trust him to make game winning plays.
Advantage: Even
Ant vs Hamid: What an absolute treat of a matchup. We have the MVP of the league vs the man who many feel should have been the rightful recipient of the award. Because of this , there will be a lot of extra motivation going into this game. There isn’t much to be said about either of these that isn’t already known. Both are top 5 players in the league , both can light up the scoreboard for 30+ or 40+ or even 50+ (as we saw Ant do earlier in the year). Both are good defenders who can stay in front of their guys but aren’t expected to spend as much energy on that side of the court. They will both see double teams the entire night, it will come down to whichever one of the 2 makes the better reads to their open teammates.
Advantage: Even
Benches: both teams have some spark plugs off the bench. Normally this wouldn’t matter as much but as this is a stop clock game, everyone will have to play their part to get the dub. For Bloodline, they have Hamza and Edris , both who can come in and impact the game in different ways. Hamza is a solid defense who can hit open 3s so leaving him open isn’t exactly a great choice. Edris is more of an energy player and gets aggressive around the paint area like his brother Wais. For Scary Hours, they have 2 shooters coming off the bench, Ihsan and Ali Tariq. Captain Ihsan is a very cerebral player. He knows his strengths and weaknesses so expect him to space the floor and shoot the occasional 3. And the guy who can potentially be the biggest difference maker in this game, Ali Tariq. A known sniper, you can’t give him any breathing room or he will light up the gym. His presence on the court will require someone to stay close to him or basically give up 3 points on the possession. Out of these 4, Ali is most likely to turn the tide of the game so the slight advantage goes to Scary Hours.
Advantage: Scary Hours
If you couldn’t tell from the matchups, this game is going to be VERY close and will likely come down to the wire. Depending on which team will make the least mistakes in the last few minutes will decide the game. With that being said, this writer predicts that Bloodline will pull out the slightest of victories with Chef hitting a big shot in the final minute.
Final Score: 83-79