This past Sunday at the SKD Gym in Paynesville, basketball fans were treated to a series of games that defied expectations! Dubbed “Super Sunday,” the matchups promised to be thrillers, but instead, they turned into a day of shocking upsets and surprise victories.
Highway Kings Take a Tight One Over Bushrod Ballers
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highway Kings | 9 | 17 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 58 |
| Bushrod Ballers | 12 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 55 |
The first game of the day saw Highway Kings needing every second to secure a victory over Bushrod Ballers. Both teams had already qualified for the Elite Eight Division Two, but that didn’t stop them from battling it out. Bushrod Ballers came out strong initially, but Highway Kings found their rhythm and took the lead before the half.
It was a high-scoring affair that went into overtime, where the Highway Kings outlasted Bushrod Ballers 7-4 to secure a narrow 58-55 win. Emmanuel Johnson was the star for the Kings, leading his team with a well-rounded performance of 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.
NPA Pythons Fall Short Against Cestos Mogars
The second game featured a grudge match between Division One teams, with Cestos Mogars looking to avenge a tough loss to the NPA Pythons earlier this season. This one lived up to the hype, with incredible shot-making, highlight-reel blocks, and some ankle-breakers thrown in for good measure.
The Pythons’ Achilles heel, however, remained their turnovers and free-throw struggles. At a crucial point in the game, they coughed up the ball four times in a row after clawing their way back from a double-digit deficit. These giveaways proved costly, leading to easy layups for the Mogars. In total, the Pythons committed a staggering 21 turnovers, leading to over 15 points for their opponents. Protecting the ball will be a crucial area of improvement if they want to challenge for the championship.
Mohamed Traore, the league’s leading scorer from last season and a frontrunner for the title again this year, was a force to be reckoned with. He poured in a game-high 32 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 6 assists, and added 5 steals, many of which converted into uncontested layups. Traore’s dominant performance earned him a well-deserved “Man of the Match” title.
LPRC Oilers Upset Unbeaten Barrolle to Steal the Show
The biggest surprise of the day came in the final game. The match-up featured the undefeated defending champions, Mighty Barrolle, taking on the high-flying LPRC Oilers, fresh off a win against the NPA Pythons. Before the game, an overwhelming majority (over 90%!) of fans predicted a Barrolle victory in a poll.
However, the script was flipped entirely. The LPRC Oilers defied expectations by leading the entire game, sometimes by double digits. They seemed to have an answer for everything Barrolle threw at them offensively, while also controlling the boards and keeping the rebounding battle close despite a size disadvantage.
Roosevelt Ndaborlo was the catalyst for the “Oil Boys.” He answered every Barrolle run with a clutch three-pointer, going 3 for 5 from beyond the arc and finishing with 19 points and 7 rebounds. But the real crowd favorite was rookie Adam Barduae. This young star, a potential candidate for both Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player awards, had a fantastic outing with a 16-point, 8-rebound performance. Notably, 5 of his rebounds came on the offensive end of the court.
“I come to have fun and play hard,” Barduae said after the Oilers’ surprising 58-55 victory.
With just a few games remaining in this round of Division One, six teams have already secured their spots in the next stage: Mighty Barrolle, Bushrod Bulls, NPA Pythons, LPRC Oilers, Invincible Eleven, and Cestos Mogars.
Which game surprised you the most this past Sunday? Let us know in the comments below!