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Friday January 02, 2009 16:36

B2 Summer Playoffs - 2005 West Division
COMMENTARY BY THE WOLVERINE

B2 West Champs: Foot Clan

From left to right (all holding the B2 league trophy - the stick!): Neal Sheorey, Godfrey Chua, Jeff McCarthy, Rob O'Donoghue & Dan Finkle

Foot Clan

Finals

Stepping It Up: Foot Clan Takes B2 West Crown

FOOT CLAN 55 LP SLAM 50

After finishing their season at a dismal 1-8, I wrote in this column “The good news for Foot Clan (or maybe bad news?) is they’ll make it to the playoffs.” What I meant to write was “The good news for Foot Clan (or maybe bad news FOR THE OTHER TEAMS IN THIS DIVISION?) is they’ll make it to the playoffs.” Foot Clan shocked the world last night as they took down LP Slam to win the B2 West title. While their futility is well documented this season by yours truly, their effort and heart was never questioned and it finally all paid off for these guys. They jumped all over LP Slam to begin the game with a 12-2 run as Finals MVP Jeff McCarthy (23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals) started off hot from the outside as did Neel Sheorey (7 points, 3 rebounds). LP Slam struggled to score early, but made a great 1st half run behind the phenomenal play of Ben “Shaq” Heywood (31 points, 21 rebounds, 5 blocks) who single-handedly kept his team in it. The 2nd half was close as well as Foot Clan and Shaq traded baskets, but Foot Clan pulled away behind the continued hot shooting of McCarthy, Godfrey Chua (12 points, 5 rebounds), Dan Finkle (9 points, 6 rebounds) and Rob O’Donoghue (4 points, 3 rebounds). Every time Shaq made a run at them, someone on Foot Clan managed to nail a big shot, usually a three pointer as they hit 7 threes throughout the game to a total of zero for LP Slam. That was the difference in the game as Foot Clan simply outscored LP Slam, despite being out-rebounded by a 43-27 margin. A great story for these guys and I couldn’t have written it up better myself as this proves that anything can happen in the CRFC Playoffs.

Semifinals

FOOT CLAN 50 ISOTOPES 39

Huh? Foot Clan in the Finals

Who says the regular season matters? Not Foot Clan. They bounced back last night from a not so great (1-8) regular season to down the #1 seeded Isotopes and move into the Finals. It was a balanced attack for Foot Clan as they finally got their entire squad to show up. Godfey Chua (9 points), Jeff McCarthy (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Dan Finkle (11 points) continued their never say die attitude they had during the regular season. Sure the Isotopes didn’t have the league’s best player in Jeff Lincoln, but they too hung tough behind Drew Lee (10 points), Jason Sawyer (10 points) and Ben Pressgrove (10 points). I can’t say enough about how much Drew and Jason have improved under the leadership of Lincoln and it showed tonight despite the fact he wasn’t even there - give a man some fish, he’ll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime. But Foot Clan just had too many guns in this one and they cruised to an easy victory. Haven’t said that yet this year. Great season for the Isotopes and hope to see them next year.

LP SLAM 39 SUPER 88 36

Late Run By Slam Ends Super 88

LP Slam must have decided to sleep through the 1st 36 minutes of the game and then just put in the effort in the last 4 minutes to win the game. That is sure what it lookmed like as Super 88 came out looking great behind the Worm Jeff York (19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals). Their defense was also playing well and LP Slam looked as if they were going to roll over and die. Little did I know that they were just playing dead and with 5 minutes to go in the game and down 5 or 6 most of the way, the team came to life. Shaq (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks) lead the comeback to put his team up 2 with a minute to play. And just like that LP Slam heads to the Finals to face the rejuvenated Foot Clan.