~ Malden Neighborhood Basketball League ~

Week 11 – “New Champion Crowned”

Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Ferryway

Madness weekend got started with our annual Hot Shot Contest, which was won by the Sixers’ Joao Geronimo.

Playoff Game 1 – Sixers 59, Pistons 53

The 4^th-place Sixers came out on top of this one, getting by the slightly favored Pistons, thanks to possible “League MVP” D. Hector with a monster game – going 10-12 from the line & ending with 20. Teammate J. Juarbe added 12 by the game’s end. The Pistons struggled in the 3^rd with their only single digit quarter; overall they played a good game. C. O’Relien and N. Sullivan each scored 14 free throws.

Playoff Game 2 – Kings 50, Celtics 37

The #2 Celtics didn’t have the luck of the Irish in this game, going 5-20 at the F.T. line as they fell to the #3-seeded Kings. The Kings shot 50% from the line en route to the victory. C. Mathely had 19; J. Hampton had 13 but, shockingly, didn’t score in the 4^th. The Celtics’ R. Doricent was the lone bright spot, as he ended the game with a solid 17. Sadly no other player for the Green was able to break 8 points in the game.

Sunday, March 16, 2025 at Ferryway

Coaches 75, All Stars 64

How do you win games, they ask? You hit your Free Throws. Ask the Coaches of 2025, as they hit 14 of 18 from the Line. The old men did it again, for the 4^th year in a row & now a 10-game advantage over the young men named All Stars. “Celtics coach” Joe Young led all with 30 – that elusive record still haunts him – followed by “coach” Chuck Washington & “coach” Clinton Mijar with 16 each. The “Lakers” Samaj Warton led the All Stars with 23, and the “Bullets” Adam Hassan had a nice game as well, ending with 19 on the day. Just to clarify, the players went 1 of 8 from the line.

The Annual 3 Point Contest was won by the Kings’ Jacoby Hampton.

Championship Game – Sixers 52, Kings 50

Talk about a rarity. The Sixers are now the 2nd team, since the 1988 Bullets to win the Title as a #4 Seed in the madness. The game itself was very close throughout. The Sixers had a decent lead at the half: up 31-22. The Kings – now playing catch up – outscored the Sixers in the final quarter by 3 but just couldn’t hit the big shots needed to get that lead as the Sixers’ N. Melvin (14), J. Juarbe (12) and D. Hector (11) led their team to the Championship Win. The Kings, who missed 14 free throws on the day (Sixers missed just 4), were led by C. Mathely (19) and J. Francillon (18) in this heartbreaking loss.

Note: This article is based on info from former 26-year Kings Coach/ Malden Neighborhood Basketball League Booster/Statman Glenn Higgins. Till next year, #40.