With the standings pretty much set despite two weeks left in the season, we were left with games that amount to previews of the playoff match-ups that are to come.

All four teams tried to give themselves that mental edge by getting the late season win over their postseason opponents, but only two could prevail.

In the first game, the Comebacks took an early 7-6 advantage led by their young stars, but in the rest of the game they ended up trying to live up to their name. The Tropics took the lead in the midst of a 9-4 run that was capped off by a Dan Gashi (20 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast) drive to take a 16-10 lead with 13 minutes left in the 1st half. Danny Readie (15 pts, 5 ast) kept bringing his team back and his bucket after a Jason Fond (11 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) 3-pointer with 1:30 left in the 1st half cut the halftime lead to just 3 points (30-27).

The Comebacks even cut the lead down to 1 (33-32) early in the second half on a strong move down low by Marselis Middleton (27 pts, 7 reb), who did his best to carry the Comebacks most of the game, but a David Bell (24 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast) 3-pointer and Gashi drive and finish pushed the lead up to 39-32.

The Tropics used good ball movement on offense to keep a lead that hovered around 10 for the 1st 12 minutes of the 2nd half but a Fond jumper and Gashi drive pushed the lead up to 18 points with 7:15 left in the game. The Comebacks would not give up and cut into that lead with a full-court press they put on with 5:30 left in the game after coming out of a timeout, and even cut it down to 8 with 1:09 left in the game off a steal and Readie 3-pointer. But, the Tropics held strong down the stretch, held on to the ball and made their free throws to win 67-58.

The Tropics lock up the 2nd seed coming into the final week at 5-2, while the Comebacks will stay stuck in 3rd at 3-4.

In the second game, both the Cowboys and Uncle Chubby’s were coming in on month-long losing streaks that one of them would have to break to get their 2nd win of the season.

Early on it looked like the Cowboys would be the ones to get back on the winning side of things. They ran out to an early 8-2 lead with Chubby’s having some frustrating missed opportunities from the field and at the free throw line. Even so, James Kopfensteiner (18 pts, 11 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl) and Chubby’s would mount multiple comebacks in that first half. A 5-0 Chubby’s run cut the Cowboys lead to 8-7. Then, Chubby’s took the lead at 11-10 with 14 minutes left in the half. The Cowboys took the lead back and started to extended it on a run that was highlighted by a fast break behind the pass from Antoine Lash (12 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast) to James Esposito (7 pts, 4 reb) for the layup and a strong finish down low later on by Jon Tsai (11 pts) to make it 27-17 Cowboys with 7:30 left in the half. Chubby’s wouldn’t let themselves be beaten though and kept coming back. A Kopfensteiner 3-point play cut the lead to 33-27 with 3:30 left and a Brian Cooke (30 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl) steal and transition layup with under a minute left in the 1st half cut the lead to just 35-31 Cowboys at halftime.

The Cowboys were angry during the break that their lead had dissipated and the frustrations would only grow from there. Despite having Jin-Woo Kim (10 points, 8 reb, 3 ast) and Joey Tortora (15 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl) make nice contributions and the team shooting 44% from the field and 54% from 3 for the game, their offense sputtered in the 2nd half due to the 20 turnovers they committed. Chubby’s made the most of their opportunities. Chubby’s shot 51% from the field and 57% from 3 and between the outside shooting of Cooke and the second chance points of Kopfensteiner down low, Chubby’s ran away with it in the 2nd half by doubling up the Cowboys 40-20 to win the game 71-55.

The win puts Chubby’s at 2-6 for the season since they are off next week, while the Cowboys fall to 1-6 and the bottom of the standings.

To see the rest of the highlights from this week’s action, check out our Week 9 Playlist on our YouTube Page.

Before the games, Scott Ferrall caught up with Jason Fond and Dan Gashi of the Bergen Tropics and found out there is only one thing on their mind this season…..REVENGE!