A multitude of questions percolated ahead of this late season showdown. Would the Ballers top ranked defense be able to slow down the Joy boys? Or Would the Joy boys top ranked offense prove too much for GDB? Which team would come away with the inside track for the #1 seed (and preserve a shot at running the table?) As game day approached, the most important question was, will there be enough players to play the game?!?! It was looking good for the boys in black, when Green Dot went into the game missing key players, Kyle Welty, Logan Secrist, Chris Harris and late scratch Ryan Demagistris. However, in a turn of events that leveled the playing field, the Joy Boys had a sickness bug running through the team that combined with other reasons to result in them missing 4 of their own regulars on this night.
The news got even worse on the availability front when Ballers starting guard Danny Abatemarco went down with an Achilles injury that left GDB with just 6 healthy players to finish the game. In spite of all of the roster challenges, the players that did play in the game delivered a game worthy of the GDB-JB rivalry. The game featured wild swings and multiple players on each side delivering key plays as the Ballers escaped with a 61-56 victory that moved them to 8-0 on the season.
Green Dot raced out to an imposing 24-2 lead over the first 11 minutes of the game, taking advantage of the lack of continuity amongst all the new Joy Boys. Mike Reamy started the onslaught with back to back threes as the Ballers started out 10-0 over the first five minutes. After the Joy Boys finally scored at the 14:47 mark, GDB promptly went on a 14-0 run with players up and down the lineup scoring inside and out. Facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit, Joy Boys calmed things down with a couple of baskets and then employed a full court press that provided a jolt of energy while simultaneously depleting the extremely short handed Ballers. They cut the lead to 15 points at 34-19 as the halftime buzzer sounded.
After the half, Green Dot settled in against the press and the game went back and forth for the next ten minutes. The Ballers led 57-38 with just over eight minutes left and the game looked to be just about over. The Joy Boys had other plans in mind. They once again turned up the pressure and combined with a host of missed free throws, including three trips to the line as front end of a one and one that were missed, the Boys ran off an 18-0 run over the course of almost eight minutes. With the score at 57-54 with 55 seconds left, one of those missed front ends gave the Boys the ball and a drive to the basket appeared to set them up with a one point deficit, but when the drive missed and a wide open putback attempt also missed, co-captain Mike Reamy was there to save the day. He knocked in two pairs of free throws sandwiched around a three pointer. Reamy scored a game high 17 points, leading three Ballers into double figures. The Ballers were extremely efficient from the floor including shooting over 60% and assisting on 18 of 24 made field goals.
The win give GDB the ever important tiebreaker and allows them to enjoy their bye week with the knowledge that one more win or one more Joy Boys loss give them the regulars season title. The Joy Boys will look to return to their winning ways against the Monstars before finishing with back to back games against Beat Durangos.
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