W14b: High Tops, Swishers take tight tilts for titles

by Chuck Martin

Thursday, July 15, 2010 – San Francisco CA – The spring 2010 incarnation of the Castro Basketball League (CBL) saw two exciting games to finish its season, one that went overtime. Gay Fish, who came into the playoffs with a 3-6 regular-season record, hoped for a second consecutive upset win, and almost pulled it off by hitting a clutch shot at the buzzer to sent their A Division championship game with league-leading High Top (& Bottoms) into overtime. And Mack Attack led early and almost came back late in the B Division championship game against City Swishers.

Mack Attack drew first blood in their hotly contested game against regular-season winner City Swishers, going up 7-4 in the early minutes. But then they stalled, aided by a stepped-up Swisher defense, and did not score again until less than 2 minutes remained in the half. Swishers, meanwhile, found their offensive rhythm and finished the half with a three, taking them into the break with an 18-10 lead. City Swishers were just slightly better in the early going of the second half, running the lead up to double digits. Mack Attack responded late in the half by ramping up defensive pressure, swarming whoever had the ball and forcing turnovers. But they also committed some fouls with that defense, and Swishers were able to make their foul shots, as well as break the pressure enough to score some key baskets, and the City Swishers held on at the end to take the B Division championship 36-29.

High Tops (& Bottoms) took the season series against Gay Fish 3 games to none. But it was Gay Fish who uncapped their A Division championship game against regular-season winner High Tops (& Bottoms) by scoring 2 fouls shots, the only points in the first 3:30, when they doubled up with an inside layup, and then made it 6-0 by the 5-minute mark before High Tops (& Bottoms) got on the board with a three.The defensive-minded game progressed to 10-5 Gay Fish at the 10-minute mark. A basket and a three over the next 60 seconds by High Tops (& Bottoms) cut the Gay Fish lead to 12-10. High Tops &( Bottoms) took it;’s first least of the game with 5:20 left in the half by hitting two foul shots to make it 15-13. It was a lead they never relinquished during the half, and in fact extended it by the end to 22-18.

High Tops (& Bottoms) uncorked the second half scoring with a three just 30 seconds in. Gay Fish hit 3 of the next 4 baskets, including a three of their own, to tie it up at 27-27 at the 3:30 mark. High Tops (& Bottoms) hit a midrange baseline jumper to take the score to 29-27 mark 5 minutes in. High Tops (& Bottoms) they went on a 6-2 during the next 1:30 to take a 35-29 lead before Gay Fish called a timeout with 11:40 left. The Fish hit a couple of shots coming out of the timeout to cut into the lead, but then fouled High Tops on a layup, enabling them to extend the gap back to 38-33 with 9:00 to go. The two teams basically traded baskets over the next few minutes until High Tops fouled the Fish on a drive just before the 5 minute mark, and the Fish made one of tow to trim the Tops lead to 42-37. The Fish got the rebound on the second shot, but turned the ball over, giving High Tops the chance to extend their lead to 44-37 with 4:30 left. The Fish hit an inside shot with 4:10 let to make it 44-39. High Tops worked some time off the 35-second shot clock, but could not convert. The Fish missed 3 shots on their possession, and High Tops again worked the shot clock, but again missed. Gay Fish got possession back with 2:20 remaining and converted quickly, making it 44-41 with 2:10 left. Fish got a steal, but while driving the ball down the court quickly, turned the ball over and fouled to get the ball back, sending High Tops to the line for a one-and-one with 1:45 left. The Tops missed the first and the Fish got the rebound. But they turned the ball over yet again, and they fouled again, this time with 1:26 to go, not yet in the double bonus. High Tops made both to extend the lead to 46-41, and then the Fish fouled on the shot, sending High Tops to the line again. They made both again, pushing the lead to 48-41. The Fish made a quick shot with 1:15 left, and then stole the ball to get another attempt with 1:03 left and the score 48-43. They hit a three with 55 seconds left to make it 48-46.. High Tops got the ball into the frontcourt and worked more time off the clock, holding a slim 2-point lead. They missed a three with time expiring, and Gay Fish got the rebound and called a timeout in their frontcourt with 7.8 seconds left. Gay Fish got the ball in and got a three off with 3 seconds left, and then was fouled on the rebound. They still weren’t in the bonus, so they had to get the ball in from out of bounds. They got the ball in again, and hit a baseline shot at the buzzer to tie the game up and send it to overtime.

Unfortunately, Gay Fish got as much scoring in the 3-minute overtime as Matt Cain typically gets in run support from the Giants. High Tops got the first possession of overtime, but turned the ball over trying to work it inside. Gay Fish couldn’t covert their first possession, and High Tops got a quick basket in transition to go up 50-48. Gay Fish again missed on their try, and High Tops brought the ball up leading by 2 with 1:15 left. They took a three, missed, but got the rebound, missing on the subsequent drive. The Fish got that rebound, but were again unable to convert, and when High Tops got the rebound, Fish had to foul with 20.4 left. High Tops made one of two to go up 51-48, and then their defense poked the ball away, and the Fish fouled on the scramble with 10.6 left. High Tops made one of two to go up by 4 and it was done. High Tops took the A Division championship after the Fish missed one last three, then fouled on the rebound, allowing High Tops and Bottoms to push the final lead to 53-48.

View the entire league game results here.