MONTVALE, NJ: Old School is #1

There was little doubt as to who the top team was in Wednesday night’s title matchup between Old School and the Ball Hogs. By staying true to what got them there, top-seeded Old School dominated to claim the first title in Montvale UHoops history.

On the surface, the championship game figured to be a close, back-and-forth fight between the league’s lone one-loss squads. Each was riding a winning streak of at least five games, and each had cruised to victory in their playoff contests. The two even met back in Week One with Old School hanging on for a two-point victory.

After the first several minutes of action, it appeared the season’s final game would live up to the hype. While Old School got off to an early 7-3 lead, the Ball Hogs took a 12-11 advantage shortly after. That, however, would be their last of the night.

Old School’s calling card all season has been its #1-ranked defense, as they gave up just 35 points per game. After the Ball Hogs took that early 1-point lead, Old School went on a 17-4 run to go up 12 at the half. From then on, it was a runaway.

In the 48-28 final, the Ball Hogs were held to a measly 22% shooting and 4-21 from three-point range. Old School forced their opponents into shots they did not seem comfortable with, which became even more evident in the second half as the Ball Hogs tried to play catch-up.

On the other end of the floor, Old School was equally impressive in controlling the tempo and not forcing anything on offense. They did a tremendous job of moving the ball around until they found a shot they liked. Their shooting percentage was nearly double that of the Ball Hogs, and they made the same amount of three-pointers in 12 fewer attempts.

With just 28 total points, it’s not surprising that the Ball Hogs did not have a double-figure scorer. Ethan Brodsky led the way with 8 as the only player on his team to hit more than half of his shots. Brian Perez, meanwhile, took a team-high 13 shots and really struggled in the second half while trying to get his team back in it with his three-point shot.

Old School’s Billy Allen and Akeem Atanda managed to outscore the Ball Hogs by themselves by combining for 29. As a leader for his team all season, it was Allen who scored some easy buckets off of fast breaks and nailed multiple threes as Old School distanced itself in the second half and took the title.