NYC GOLD VS Valley Outcast
Sunday’s game was the start of the season, and the YMCA gym was ready!
The NYC Gold (blue team) was our guest VS The Valley Outcast home team (in white) on a hot Sunday afternoon at the Van Nuys YMCA where the basketball court was radiating with excitement.
We had a new announcer for this kick off date of the XvsX Sports League with 3 games of men’s teams competing. New to this league was the “Boosted 4-point shot”, presented by sponsor Boost Mobile, which several players took advantage of throughout the afternoon – making no big lead insurmountable. The first game started off with a Chris Staples long three-pointer that really set the pace for the NYC Gold.
Chris Staples and Juice were the main attractions to this basketball game but every player from both teams was outstanding and contributed. The players all showed up in colorful basketball shoes, and the crowd couldn’t keep their eyes off them. Juice hit the first 4-pointer in the league on his first attempt – setting up a fast-paced thriller.
Juice took the spotlight for this first game and was on fire in the entire first half. The whole game was an intense, back and forth with both teams trying to get a bigger lead. The Juice broke loose and had some phenomenal moves overall during this fun basketball game. Towards the end of the first quarter the score was 24 NYC Gold – Valley Outcast 29.
To start the second quarter, NYC Gold started double-teaming Juice to slow him down. Juice was making Kyrie Irving-style moves without the flat earth theory and would hit tough step backs jumpers. Nothing but net! Although Juice was still weaving through defenders, the double team on him would lead to difficult shots towards the end of the quarter with long rebounds, and NYC Gold would start their fast break. NYC Gold started to pick up the momentum as Valley Outcast began to struggle. Staples began heating up as he hit three straight shots from the wing. NYC Gold started moving the ball with great speed and had the Valley Outcast basketball team coach scratching her head to end the half. NYC Gold was putting their authority on the game.
The third quarter was more of the same type of basketball. NYC Gold kept growing the lead and some big blocks, assists and rebounds were going all against the Valley Outcast. Valley Outcast was too focused on Staples, so other players started getting wide-open shots.
Beautiful pass and handles by DeAndre Bray (aka Mosquito) on the basketball court. The game began to get out of reach. Staples for 3 to increase the lead, Mosquito with the cookies and significant between-the-legs-no-look-dish to set up the fastbreak dunk. You could see that Valley Outcast was losing hope. End of the quarter: 72-59, NYC Gold.
The fourth quarter was like a dunk contest on an all-star weekend with no Blake Griffin. The dunk judges were all missing, but these dunks even had Metta on the edge of his seats. NYC Gold looked like the USA basketball team playing like they did in the Olympics with LeBron and Carmelo. Staples had a mean LeBron-like slam dunk off the backboard. Was it the shoes? Or was it the Gatorade?
NYC Gold came out with the big win. Staples and Juice both finished with 31 points. Always good sportsmanship by both teams. Metta congratulated the winners and all players. Final Score NYC gold 106 – Valley Outcast 80.
