I thought Affirmative Action was rejected by the courts in the 1980s. Somehow, Affirmative Action continues to hold on as it met the challenge of the favored Rejection Sustained last evening in a wildly exciting 2 games to 1 playoff victory. The win launched Affirmative Action into the LegalMatch Basketball Championship match up next Wednesday for the Founders Cup Trophy against The Supreme Court for a once and for all the marbles show down.
The game last evening featured all that the players and the spectators could have asked for. The leagues’ top scorer versus the leagues’ top rebounder. Two tough defensive teams who both have relentless offensive weapons and fire power to burn. Both teams carry strong bench reserves. No one disappointed. This match up would be just about as good as it gets without having the Trophy on the line. In the first two games no one could be sure of the outcome because the two teams seemed so evenly matched. Of course, the results became a split of the two games. 10-8 Affirmative and 10-5 Rejection. The 3rd and final game could have gone either team’s way. Affirmative Actions’ Alex Karzag and Peter Reis continued to show they are consistently clutch performers when a big shot or rebound was needed. Jeff Sacramento, who earned a spot in the starting rotation after his performance in Tuesday’s game, was a menace to the Sustained defense. He continually found himself alone under the basket for easy hoops. But the play of this trio was balanced by their Rejection opponents in the name of Ken LaMance, Randy Wells and Matt Griffith. So, it would be left to the unknown factor. Would it be Augie Chun or Teejay Clemena?
For a minute, it looked like Augie Chun would run away and steal the game for Rejection Sustained, as he put on a show for the ages. With 9 points and 2 – 2 pointers, it appeared he would single handedly carry Sustained on his back to the Championship. But it wasn’t to be. Once again, with the game on the line, the “2 minute Assassin” showed up in the form of Teejay Clemena to shift the momentum away from Sustained and back over to Affirmative Action. This was a pivotal moment in the series. Caught along the back wall, for a second it looked as though Teejay had traveled, but there was no call from either official Ed Lin or Kurt Jerdon. In the space of a hair, Teejay spun around and launched a big 20 foot jump shot, reminiscent of a street ball play that seems to define his game, and hit it! Nothing but net, Swish!
That single play seemed to let the air out of the entire Sustained team and all the fans that were rooting for them. There definitely appeared to be a stronger fan base rooting for the Sustained team as they were the favorites and represented a chance for a glamor game that would have pitted two of the leagues best performers in Supreme Court’s Michael Gutman against Sustained’s Matt Griffith. But that was not to be. This play by the Assasin was like a dagger through the heart of those fans waiting for that match up.
From that point in the game Sustained was subdued. An open jumper from Karzag and a patented jump hook follow up and put back by Peter Reis ended the game to the delight of Coach Ushma Multani. Multani, who sat out the entire contest, was giddy with excitement. She could be heard telling all around who asked the question…now that you’ve made it to the Championship finals…what are you going to do now? Multani’s response…”I’m going to the October Fest and drink beer!” And that she did.
Congratulations Multani and good luck to your team against the highly respected Supreme Court in the LegalMatch Rooftop Championships.
Lance Burton