Uptempo 44, Huarache 42

Playing in Madison Square Garden is like no other place in the world. You remember shooting around in your backyard with the countdown going through your head? 5…4…3…2…1…swish. Well, last night that moment was played out by the members of Uptempo and Huarache. After some pre-game announcement thanks to yours truly, we were ready to go.

Billy Dodson got things going and hit the first bucket. And playing that tight defense with the trap right over half court, Huarache wouldn’t have it any other way. You could see that both teams were trying to work it around – especially on the large court – but everybody was missing their bunnies. Maybe it was the bright lights, maybe it was the raucous fans. But either way, the nerves were on. Everyone knew that his was it.

From the jump, LeKeith Taylor was being aggressive. While he deferred to his teammates all season, tonight this was his team. And just like all year for Uptempo, Nick Blatchford was getting his early. But with the longer three-point line, the cagey vet was more than willing to take it to the rack. With 11 minutes left, the score was 8-6 in favor of Uptempo.

While there have been people whom have hated and doubted all year, there is no denying the basketball skills of Terance Takyi. On one play, rather than distributing, Takyi pulled up after some razzle-dazzle for the deuce and drained it. But for Uptempo’s sake, Mike Won answered right back. You knew once both teams found their rhythm, the shots would start to fall. And while he deferred to the drive earlier in the game, Blatchford started pulling up from the parking lot and draining them towards the end of the half.

Even with the emotions running wild, Takyi kept it under control. After not getting the calls on the offensive end, what does he do? He goes back and takes the charge. And that’s why he’s the Defensive Player of the Year. Add a bucket for Will Perkins and two free throws from Taylor, and Huarache had cut their deficit to five, 20-15.

Dubbed by someone in the stands as “this year’s Stalley,” Blatchford continued raining murder. But Eric Raymundo, with the biggest cheering section in the house, decided he wanted to hit a triple of his own. So after Takyi banked in a three to make right before the half, Huarache went into the break losing 25-21.

To start the second half, both of the team’s general managers – Terrence Chin and LeKeith Taylor – were called for the double foul. But fueling off the energy, slippery Roscoe slipped by for the deuce to make it 27-23. Add to that a layup from Takyi, and Huarache was down just two points – quite a feat for how horrible they were playing.

But playing tough defense and attacking the basket, that is Huarache’s game. So after Dodson drove to the hoop for the foul, everything was tied up at 27-27 with 15 minutes left to play.

While a lot of people were starting to find their rhythm in the second half, for some reason, newly crowned MVP Scott Williams couldn’t buy a bucket. And even when Raymundo wasn’t making baskets, his cheering section was cheering like their boy just got called down by Bob Barker on The Price Is Right. So you can imagine when Taylor gave Huarache the 30-29 lead on the fastbreak, the place went nuts.

If Roscoe was the difference maker all year for Huarache, tonight for Uptempo it was Chin. Hitting all the chippies around the basket – and tough baskets at that – he was keeping them in the hunt. But picture this: the crowd chanting DE-FENSE, your team up two, and what does Blatchford do? Take it in for the bucket plus the foul (though he missed the freebie) to swing the momentum back their way. The back-to-back champs were simply orchestrating brilliance.

And for those of you that couldn’t make it, Blatchford was as cold as ice. Running isolation plays like was his job, as one crowd member exclaimed, “40’s the new 20.” And getting a bucket off a baseline fade – finally – Williams was on the board to join in the effort. But there was one problem. While Blatchford was playing his way into the Finals MVP award, he also managed to pick up five fouls.

Determined to make something happen, Taylor with the block. Down 39-35 with 3:30 left to play, it was now or never. Getting one at the line on two different possessions, Uptempo led 39-37 with 1:56 left to play. Everyone was thinking this was coming down to the last play. And of course it did.

Williams got fouled, missing the first, but making the second. 40-37 Uptempo lead. Taylor was clearing ’em out, but Williams was playing great defense – first on Taylor, then switching onto Dodson. Although he got fouled, you could see it in Uptempo’s eyes that they wouldn’t give up.

Dodson hit both, and the score was 40-39 with 1:15 to play. At this point, Huarache was starting to foul to extend the game. Sending Chin to the line for a one-and-one, he hit the pair. Dodson charged back down the other way and Danny Millan took the charge. Down 42-39 with 55 second left, Huarache chose not to foul and it paid off as Mike Won travelled in the backcourt. Now with the ball and down three, Taylor drove across the lane and missed, grabbed his own rebound and passed it out to Takyi for the deep three. And he buried it! The place went nuts.

Next possession, with a tie game, Takyi’s defense caused Uptempo to turn the ball over at half court with a backcourt violation. So with “One Shining Moment” blasting on the loudspeaker, Huarache had the ball with 8.7 second left. Inbounding the ball, Taylor threw it away in the middle of the floor where Williams swooped in and snatched it. But rather than playing out the clock with some tight defense, Dodson fouled him, thus fouling out of the game.

Williams stepped to the line to shoot a one-and-one and with the chance to potentially win it. He made both. Although Huarache got the ball back, a costly turnover on the advancement pass sealed their fate. A three-peat was in the books.

After the game, the NRF Finals MVP Award, which will now be known as the Jesse Thompkins III Award, was presented to Nick Blatchford. A few short weeks before his death, Jesse was excited that his NRF team (Huarache) had made the Finals and would play its last game at the Garden. Late in the game, his team was down by one point with three seconds left on the clock. Jesse had the ball and took the shot, but he missed. But the miss and the loss did not dampen his mood. He remained excited that he took the last shot, because Jesse always just wanted to be in the game. And that’s what the NRF is all about.

Jesse and Judith Thompkins launched The Jesse Thompkins III Foundation for Young People in the Arts in memory of their son, a young filmmaker, who died on August 3, 2008 in a traffic-related accident in Brooklyn, New York. His passion to write and direct was evident in the many short films he created during his lifetime. For more information, visit www.jt3art.org.

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