CBA Insider
by Chris Westerbeek
Published on March 24, 2002 under Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
Play-off Matchups Set
The tight three-team race in the American Conference came to an end on March 23 with Rockford's 117-109 victory over Gary. The win propelled the Lightning into a first-place tie with Sioux Falls and left Grand Rapids out in the cold; the Hoops must stay at home for the postseason.
Coach Stacey King's Lightning erupted at the end of the season, winning 5 of their last 6 games. The stretch included two consecutive road wins over rival Grand Rapids, with whom Rockford battled for the final play-off spot during the last two months of the season.
The National Conference play-off picture, on the other hand, became clear a few weeks ago. Dakota has clinched first place with its league-leading quarter-point average of 4.4 per game. The Fargo-Moorhead Beez, sporting a second-best 3.9 quarter-point average, hold the other ticket to the postseason.
Postseason Picks
Now that the play-offs have finally arrived, it is time to take a look at the matchups and take my shot at predicting the winners. Here's how I see the bracket unfolding:
American Conference (Best of 5 Series): Sioux Falls vs. Rockford
These two teams appear to be heading in opposite directions. Rockford enters the series on a hot streak, while Sioux Falls has stumbled into the postseason. The inside play of Dickey Simpkins and Jeff Sanders, coupled with the perimeter scoring of Kelley McClure and Ray Weathers, should provide the Lightning with enough firepower to cruise past Sioux Falls. The Skyforce will not be able to right their ship in time to avoid early elimination. (Rockford 3-1)
National Conference ( Best of 5 Series ): Fargo-Moorhead vs. Dakota
Dakota's home-court advantage poses a large obstacle for the Beez in this series. Fargo-Moorhead must win at home in Game One, then steal one of the next three road games from the Wizards to force a fifth game back at the Fargo Dome. The Wizards' balanced scoring attack, led by guard Miles Simon, is tough to defend. Coach Rory White will counter with an potent offensive line-up featuring high-scoring forwards Ruben Nembhard and Rico Hill. Dakota's dominance at home, where they are 17-3 this season, will be the deciding factor. (Dakota 3-2)
Championship Game: Rockford vs. Dakota
Rockford and Dakota will face off in what should be an excellent title matchup. The duel between scoring guards Ray Weathers and Miles Simon should be particularly interesting. Simon is the better individual player, but Weathers has a better team around him. Lightning coach Stacey King will earn his first CBA Championship in a close game. (Rockford, 109-104)
Line of the Week
The Hoops' James Collins set a new single-game high for the league last week with 45 points on 18-29 shooting from the field. Despite Collins' magnificent performance, Grand Rapids fell to the Rockford Lightning.
Name MIN FGM FGA PCT FTM FTA PCT 3FGM 3FGA PCT PTS OR DR TR AST Collins, James 44 18 29 62.1 4 4 100 5 12 41.7 45 1 3 4 2
Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from March 24, 2002
- CBA Insider - OSC Original by Chris Westerbeek
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
