With the postseason around the corner, we all know who the favorite is. But after a competitive contest Wednesday night, let’s give a little credit to a few contenders who might just be better than we think.

Forget about RUNt for a second. Before they win the whole thing, we should focus on what turned out to be a really good game between Just Ball and the Ferrall Ballerz as the regular season nears its end. In some ways, the 58-57 Ballerz win was a fitting one for the way these teams have performed this season – Just Ball, who seems to scrape by in every victory they get, nearly gets a game they have no business winning. Meanwhile, the Ballerz nearly blow another one they led the entire way.

This game, however, was different. First off, Scott Ferrall wasn’t there to do God knows what after his team came perilously close to choking again. Secondly, and more importantly, we saw some real standout performances that just might give you reason to believe these teams have a chance in the playoffs.

Really though, shout-outs to:

Justin Leon (Just Ball) – Yes, he usually leads his team in scoring. But what we saw here was Leon nearly willing his squad to victory. He dropped 30 against the Ballerz, including a huge three that tied it up with time running out. Just minutes before, it appeared the game was out of reach. With a short-handed squad, the fact that Just Ball came oh-so-close to winning was impressive to say the least.

Tom Alexiou (Just Ball) – It was the Justin and Tommy show for Just Ball. When Justin wasn’t scoring, he was finding Tom in the post. The two combined for about 80% of their club’s points. If Tom had gotten more easy touches in the post, Just Ball might have won this thing going away. But perhaps more important than Tom’s scoring is his rebounding. He will kill you on the glass if you don’t pay attention.

Dan Bronstein (Ferrall Ballerz) –With 26 points and 7 assists, he had a hand in over 70% of the Ferrall Ballerz 58 points. He also hit some clutch free throws to prevent the Ballerz from collapsing yet again. With his ability to score and distribute, you could argue that Bronstein is the most underrated player on the team. He brings stability that is needed for this often-chaotic group.

For this week’s installment of Ferrall, here are his interviews with a few more big shots – RUNt’s Mike Kern and James Mooney, your UHoops Regional Coordinator. Enjoy!