By: Javon Edmonds
With a returning Thomas Robinson, Team Family Over Everything beat Team Rumph Center 70-63. The win clinched F.O.E.’s spot in Monday night’s championship game against Team Blue Magic.
The game was a blowout entering the 4th quarter. F.O.E. played staunch defense and scored efficiently throughout much of the contest. Up 53-34 entering the fourth, F.O.E. seemingly took its foot off the pedal.
After a stretch of stops and fastbreak baskets, Rumph Center suddenly found themselves in the game for the first time in a while, down 66-57 with one minute and 28 seconds left in regulation. However, a 30-footer from F.O.E.’s Vinny Simpson halted the run and deflated Rumph Center’s sails.
F.O.E. started the game on an 8-0 run that jumped to 17-4 after two breakaway dunks from Jay Nixon and two-time American Athletic Conference Sixth Man of the Year Markus Kennedy. Holding a 25-15 lead after one, F.O.E. held Rumph Center to just eight points in the second, taking a 40-23 lead into the half.
Rumph Center started to show more fight in the third, answering a 5-0 run from F.O.E. with an 8-0 run of its own at the 5:05 mark and trailed 53-34 entering the final frame.
Jay Nixon, a first-year Rumph player, took home Player of the Game honors with 14 points.
