The Icon at the free-throw line. Photo by Trevor Kapp

West 4th

Saturday-

After washouts both Thursday and Friday, it seemed like the quarterfinal playoff game between Uninvited Guest and Money Train at West 4th St. (3rd St., 6th Ave.) would never be played. Fortunately for everyone at the Cage Saturday afternoon, the weather was perfect and the game was too.

In an instant classic, Money Train, who had to play without Darren “Primal Fear” Phillip and Jerome “The Circus” Holman, who has a separated shoulder, edged upset-minded Uninvited Guest, 100-99, on two Antawn Dobie free-throws with three seconds to play.

“With six seconds left, you gotta attack the basket,” Dobie said. “It was a judgment call by myself and I knew they had to foul or it was a lay-up.”

Money Train led by 14 after the first, but U.G. cut the deficit to two at halftime to the surprise of everyone, except Dobie.

“They’ve been a tough team for a while,” Dobie said. “We’ve played them the last two years in the regular season and playoffs and they just never give up.”

Dobie finished with 21 points for Money Train and teammate Ryan “Special FX” Williams dropped 26, 19 coming in the first half.

George Bullock came off the bench to score a game-high 35 points for U.G., 27 coming in the first half, but his last second three from the corner sailed right and Money Train rolled on.

Special FX also said he will play with his Pro City team, PDG Queensbridge, in the Tournament of Champions scheduled for next Saturday, ending any speculation that he might play with Money Train should they take the West 4th crown.

The second game was as bad as the first one was good. X-Men led by 12 after the first half and extended that to 20 after the third, behind Mike “The Icon” Campbell’s 28 points and “Tommie Gunz” Eddie’s 24. Carl Lee, who came up big all year for No Excuses, led the team with 29 points.

Sunday-

With players like Smush Parker, Sundiata Gaines and Darren “Primal Fear” Phillip taking part in the ultra-competitive West 4th Street (3rd St., 6th Ave.) league, it’s easy to overlook X-Men’s proven-veteran Mike “The Icon” Campbell.

But in Sunday afternoon’s semi-final, Campbell showed why he’s arguably the best of them all, taking just nine shots to pour in 25 points in a 95-82 victory over Pick & Roll. Teammate “Tommie Gunz” Eddie chipped in 14.

Pick & Roll came out in a 3-2 zone, anticipating X-Men’s three-point shooting would be a problem. But the zone was as soft as a bag of feathers and X-Men connected on 11 first-half threes to take a 55-38 lead into the break.

Pick & Roll fought hard to get back in the contest and actually cut the deficit to just six with 7:30 to play, behind Nesto Giscombe’s game-high 30 points. But X-Men then went on a 12-0 run to grab an 89-71 lead and put the game out of reach, earning a spot in Monday evening’s final.

Born Ready at the freebie line as Antwan Dobie (green uniform) looks on. Photo by Trevor Kapp

With just a week of tournament action left, it seemed like there was just one thing missing from what’s been another spectacular summer for New York City basketball: a Lance Stephenson cameo. But just when we least expected, Lance “Born Ready” Ready suited up for 1.3/The Champs against Money Train in Sunday afternoon’s second semifinal.

While Stephenson drew the camera flashes, it was Money Train stealing the show and upending the ‘07 champs, 90-81.

Cory “The Undertaker” Underwood and “Mr. Excitement” Junie Sanders each dropped 19 points for Money Train.

Stephenson scored a game-high 23 points for 1.3 and Kenny Adeleke added 22.

Tempers were flaring the entire game. Sanders appeared to inadvertently hit Stephenson in the face mid-way through the third, but the officials missed the call. Born Ready responded by taking a hard swipe at the ball on the next possession but missed and connected with Sanders instead. After being called for the obvious foul, Stephenson began barking at the official and was immediately T’d up. The Lincoln HS senior-to-be sat the rest of the third and remained on the bench until mid-way through the fourth.

Corey Underwood at the Cage. Photo by Trevor Kapp

Money Train will take on the X-Men in Monday evening’s West 4th St. championship. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

In the West 4th finals it will be X-men battling Money Train for the right to go to the Tournament of Champions August 23, at Goat Park (99th and Amsterdam). The game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m.

Dyckman

Bingo’s All-Stars will be taking on TNP, reigning league and Tournament Champions from 2007, for the Dyckman championship and a berth in the Tournament of Champions. The contest is set to tip-off at 8 p.m.

Contributed by Trevor Kapp