Central Basketball Association

2016 First Round Playoff Preview:

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Shortridge High School (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Note: All playoff games are scheduled to be broadcasted live this weekend on the CBA YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/c/PlayCBA. Be sure to follow league action on the CBA Twitter (@playCBA), Instagram (@playCBA), and Facebook social media pages. 

Game 1:

• Indianapolis (4-4) vs. Bowling Green (5-3)

When:

• 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Series History:

• First meeting between the teams. 

Organization History: 

• This is the first season for Indianapolis in the league, where they compiled a 4-4 regular season record. This is their first trip to the post-season.
• For Bowling Green, this is their third trip to the playoffs in their four years in the league. They have made it to the championship game in each of their previous postseason trips, including winning the title last season. They are 22-15 in their organization history, including 3-1 in the playoffs.  

Coaches:

• Dominique Ingram (Indianapolis) has a 4-4 career record in his first season as head coach.
• Jacob Shackley (Bowling Green) has a 5-3 career record in his first season as head coach. 

Key Players: 

• Anthony White (Indianapolis) finished the season as the second-leading scorer in the league, averaging 25.6 points per game. He also leads the team in free throw shooting percentage (83.9%) and 3-point shooting (39.5%). 
• Chrishawn Hopkins (Indianapolis) was second on the team in both points per game (19.6), field goal percentage (54.1%), and free throw shooting percentage (70.3%). He is also fourth in the league in rebounding amongst guards, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game. 
• Dion Smith (Indianapolis) was second in the league in rebounds per game as well as only one of five players in the league averaging a double-double this season, with 14.5 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per game.
• Ree McCrory (Bowling Green) leads the team in points per game (18.2 points per game), and was the best free-throw shooter in the league at 90.9% during the regular season. 
• Teraes Clemmons (Bowling Green), who was last year's scoring champion at 25.0 points per game, is second on the team in scoring this year (17.7 points per game), three-point percentage (37.2%), as well as leading the team in assists per game (3.1). 
• Fred Sturdivant (Bowling Green) leads the team in field goal percentage (48.6%) and is also one of of only five players in the league averaging a double-double this season, with 17.0 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game.  

Darkhorse Players:

• Jaylen Moore (Indianapolis), who after not scoring in double-digits all season, posted a 28-point, 11-rebound performance in the season finale versus Columbus. 
• Quincy Scates (Bowling Green), who has the versatility to play multiple positions, has had three games of scoring 18+ points, including a 28-point, 17-rebound performance versus Middle Tennessee earlier this season. 

Key Head-To-Head Team Statistics:

• Points Scored Per Game (Bowling Green 102.1, Indianapolis 98.9)
• Points Allowed Per Game (Indianapolis 94.0, Bowling Green 96.8)
• Field Goal Percentage (Indianapolis 45.9%, Bowling Green 42.7%)
• Free Throw Percentage (Indianapolis 68.9%, Bowling Green 68.9%)
• 3-Point Percentage (Indianapolis 31.4%, Bowling Green 29.3%)
• 1st-quarter Point Differential (Indianapolis +42, Bowling Green +7)
• 3rd-quarter Point Differential (Bowling Green +48, Indianapolis -25)
• Rebounds Per Game (Bowling Green 50.0, Indianapolis 42.8)
• Turnovers Per Game (Bowling Green 17.2, Indianapolis 18.8)
• Steals Per Game (Bowling Green 12.4, Indianapolis 9.1)
• Blocks Per Game (Bowling Green 4.6, Indianapolis 2.5)

Prediction:

• Bowling Green 99, Indianapolis 96

 

Game 2:

• Memphis (3-5) vs. Columbus (5-3)

When:

• 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Series History:

• First meeting between the teams. 

Organization History: 

• This is the first season for the Rail Runners to play out of Memphis, where, although they had a losing record this season, they qualified for the postseason as the third seed in the South Division. Memphis has never won a postseason game. 
• Columbus, in their first season in the league, compiled a winning regular season record, and earned the second seed in the North Division. This is their first trip to the postseason. 

​Coaches:

• Alondray Rogers (Memphis) has a 12-17 career record in three season as a head coach in the league.
• Dick Reynolds (Columbus) has a 5-3 career record in his first season as head coach. 

Key Players: 

• Tavin Cummings (Memphis) was in the top-five in the league in points per game (21.2) and led the team in three-point shooting percentage (37.5%)
• Myron Strong (Memphis) was second on the team in points per game (18.0) and was second in the league in free throw shooting percentage (90.5%)
• Jonathan Stevens (Memphis) was fractional points away from posting a double-double for the season, averaging 10.4 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game. 
• Brett McKnight (Columbus) led the league in scoring at 26.0 points per game, second in the league in 3-point percentage (47.6%), and in the top-10 in the league in field goal percentage (56.0%)
• Tihon Johnson (Columbus) finished in the top-10 in the league in points per game (21.6), free throw percentage (78.9%) and 3-point shooting percentage (40.0%)
• Trent Weaver (Columbus) led the league in rebounds, as well as being one of only five players in the league averaging a double-double this season (18.1 points per game, 12.8 rebounds per game).

Darkhorse Players:

• Keith Barron (Memphis), who although posted a sub-40% shooting percentage this season, was third on the team in scoring (17.9 points per game) and shooting percentage from the outside (35.0%).
• Anthony Hitchens (Columbus) scored in double-digits in all but one game this season, averaging 14.2 points per game, was one of the top assist leaders in the league (4.0) as well as shooting from the outside (42.1%). 

Key Head-To-Head Team Statistics:

• Points Scored Per Game (Columbus 97.0, Memphis 94.4)
• Points Allowed Per Game (Columbus 87.8, Memphis 94.8)
• Field Goal Percentage (Columbus 45.9%, Memphis 40.7%)
• Free Throw Percentage (Memphis 68.6%, Columbus 67.3%)
• 3-Point Percentage (Columbus 37.0%, Memphis 32.6%)
• 3-Point Percentage Allowed (Columbus 23.1%, Memphis 27.9%)
• 2nd-quarter Point Differential (Columbus -1, Memphis -75)
• 3rd-quarter Point Differential (Columbus +53, Memphis +10)
• Rebounds Per Game (Memphis 46.2, Columbus 41.1)
• Turnovers Per Game (Memphis 16.6, Columbus 17.8)
• Assists Per Game (Columbus 15.8, Memphis 12.2)
• Blocks Per Game (Memphis 4.1, Columbus 1.4)

Prediction:

• Columbus 93, Memphis 83

 

(Photo by: Jeff Black / CBA Photos)