Delta Force 49, Uptempo 41

Uptempo’s zone defense is ever-improving. However, Delta Force didn’t seem too impressed as they scored in the paint from the opening tip. Delta’s defensive scheme seemed to be to keep Scott Williams off the ball, and Treasure Kyn Neal took on the job of keeping the NRF’s leading scorer out of the picture. Williams has yet to see a real full-court pickup and it flustered him in the first half, and left his team out of synch early, as Delta built a 8-3 lead.

If Dick Vitale was calling the game and gave his keys to a Delta Force victory, he would say: slow the pace, play physical and make Scott take tough shots. That’s exactly how DF built a 10 point lead with 4:30 left but guarding Williams full-court can be tiring and something says he knew that. Williams knocked down his first shot with four minutes to go and lead his team on a rally to cut the lead to one 23-22 at the half.

Kelvin Coffey (10 points) helps extend the lead early in the second half with a runner in the lane (29-25). Later in the second, Mike “Don” Won (nine points) gets to the rack for the and-one to pushthe lead to two (32-30). The seesaw match continues throughout the half, with Won on the rock the cradle layup, only to be answered by a Nick Blatchford (seven points, five rebounds) one-legged fade-away in the paint. Williams is fouled on the ensuing play, but Coffey grabs a board on the other end and puts it in for a 40-39 lead. After Williams (21 points, six assists) gets to the line for another pair of free-throws, Treasure (15 points, six rebounds) comes down with a runner of his own for a 42-41 lead. Uptempo can’t answer and Treasure scores again, only this time off a coast-to-coast layup.  Delta Force finished strong at the line and came away with a 49-41 win over the defending champs.

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