The Chise, short for Franchise, swept the Associates to win the Champion Basketball League four-on-four for 38 and older basketball championship, 31-20.
Down 2-0 in the best of five series, the Associates felt the pressure. Center/power forward Greg Eskridge put the team on his back and scored the first six points.
The momentum changed when Chise guard David Lee made a free throw to ignite his team. They scored seven straight points to take the lead, 7-6.
The game and series MVP Damon Cooke grabbed a whopping 15 rebounds that gave the team multiple second-shot chances. He also scored 4 points off put-backs.
“This season was about perseverance, camaraderie and a high level of consciousness. We had to play outside our egos for the betterment of the team. When that happens, victory is inevitable,” said Cooke.
The Chise went 10-0 in the regular season, losing one game in the semi-finals and finished 15-1 overall.
“The hardest thing to do is to get different personalities to play together and buy into the system,” said Chise Coach Demon Lewis.
Lewis has won three basketball championships as a player and now his first as a coach.
The Associates looked to their bench for a spark, and Jihad came in to hit two quick points, closing the gap, 15-13. That was the closest they would get.
As the basketball saying goes, “Hands-down, man-down,” meaning when the defense fails to guard their men, they suffer the consequences. The Chise sharpshooters, Aubra-Lamont “Coocoo” McNeely, Reggie Rausse and David Lee, hit six critical three-pointers, which count for two. Along with Antione L. Wiley’s inside and outside defense, they put the game out of reach at 26-17.
“They out-played us. It was a bad night to have a bad game, but congratulations to the Champs,” said Associate Tim Thompson.
Associates guard Orlando Harris finally warmed up and made three jumpers, but the hole was too deep, and The Chise smelled blood.
Chise center Rahsaan Thomas won his second CBL title in three years.
“I’m not the best player in the world; I’ve just been blessed to be on the best teams, and I give my all,” said Thomas.
Eskridge added, “I came to do my best. If I was going to lose, we were going to do it as a team. We had some key injuries, but congrats to the Champs.”
Eskridge had 7 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Aaron “Harun” Taylor, the CBL commissioner, added “The two best teams played. The Associates had some key injuries, but they made it to the finals. Rahsaan (Thomas) is the only player to win two championships. He was drafted sixth round both times. He is the Cliff Livingston (former Chicago Bull who won Championships with Michael Jordan) of the league.”
