Finally we are at the finals. The last two teams are ready to start this best of three series to determine the Season 25, IV.10 League Champions! We have the best offense vs. the best defense in this years finals, so we will see which one prevails. Lets take a preview of the series:
#1 Georgia PowerRiders v. #1 San Diego Eagles
The San Diego Eagles destroyed the Bull Knights in the conference finals, winning by 21 points in game where the dominated in almost every aspect of the game. Txema Navarro Ruiz dominated the game, finishing with 19 rebounds and 19 points, and the Eagles effectively shut down the Bull Knight's offense, holding them to 32% from the field. It was a bitter sweet win however, as they lost their starting SF, Walter Nuñez, and will be missing him for the finals. They will have to find a suitable replacement, as the Georgia PowerRiders have 2 very skilled SFs in Gustavo Lousada and Allan Niidumaa. It will also spell big trouble if Jon Wilson, Ruiz's backup, is unable to play in the finals, but he is expected back soon. As for the Georgia PowerRiders, they had to hold off a furious rally by The Blood Suckers, relying heavily on the free throws of Donát Gubán, who knocked down 16 free throws on his way to 62 points! Donát Gubán will probably not have it so easy in the finals though, as he will be guarded by Ignacio Gudiel, who held Mustapha Hajri to only 8 points and 16% shooting in the conference finals.
The keys to victory for the San Diego Eagles is the same as every team facing the Georgia PowerRiders: stop Donát Gubán.
Any team that will allow him to take 40 shots will most likely have a hard team winning, as a 47% shooting percentage and 4.2 three-pointers will result in lots of points. Man to man defense might work with a talented guard like Ignacio Gudiel, but it might be safer to put some extra pressure on him and force the other players to take some shots. The Eagle's front court should hold up fine against the Georgia PowerRider's, so a 3-2 Zone would also prove effective in shutting down the highest scoring team in the league. The Eagle's offense has been a model of consistency all season, and they can score at will from any position on the court, so a balanced offense should find the hole in the PowerRider's defense, which will most likely be along the perimeter.
The keys to victory for the Georgia PowerRiders is to get open shoots and knock down key three pointers. With a player like Donát Gubán, taking 25 three-pointers as a team isn't such a bad idea, and points from beyond the arc probably have a better chance of going in than shots from near the paint, with Ruiz guarding the basket. But the Georgia PowerRiders have to be careful with their shots, as taking careless shots will result in the Eagle's offense, which is shooting 47% from the field, getting the ball back. Ewold Oppenheim will have to play great basketball, limiting turnovers and driving into the Eagle's defense, which will force them to collapse and leave Donát Gubán open on the outside. Also the Georgia PowerRiders should try to take advantage of the injury to Walter Nuñez, so expect big games from Gustavo Lousada if they are to win the championship.
Predicted score: Game 1: GEO 93, SD 102 Game 2: GEO 110, SD 92 Game 3: GEO 97, SD 109
SD in 3
The last time these two teams played, the Georgia PowerRiders were held to their lowest point total and Guban was held to just 33% from the field. Home court advantage and a possible take-it-easy game by the Eagles will give them a win in game 2, but the Eagles should take it in three. The San Diego Eagles are just too talented across the board, and besides we all know that defense wins championships.