NSCAA 11 (Roster and RP Thread)

[Newmanistan]

It's Cutoff time for the sweet sixteen!

Results

[Saint Kanye]

Ultra 64 Recap: Frostvale Institute of Technology (STK)

Round 2: W 83-49 vs. Mar Sara Tech (VAL)
Top-seeded Frostvale Tech moved on to the Sweet Sixteen after crushing their opponents from Valanora. Marlon Martinez scored 19 and dished out ten assists, while Curtis Bridges had 16 points and seven rebounds. The Frost Giants trailed only once in the game, 0-1 after the opponents split a free throw, but then made twenty straight points on the way to a 26-5 first quarter score. They never looked back from there.

Sweet Sixteen: W 84-80 vs. University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)
The Blue Thunder were eager to advance, given the implications that they could be playing for a title in their own city, and just days after their gridiron team took home the NSCF title. But the Frost Giants put a stop to that, narrowly getting past them and into the Elite Eight after a game that went down to the final moments.

With 3.2 seconds left and Frostvale Tech up 82-80, Devin Ross blocked a Loyola-Istria shot. The ball went into Bridges' hands, and he was immediately fouled. He made both free throws, after which the Blue Thunder burned their last timeout. They needed to inbound quickly and score, but never got the chance to, as Martinez intercepted the pass and dribbled away the time, sealing the deal for the Frost Giants.

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Ultra 64 Recap: South Union College (STK)

Round 2: W 83-67 vs. University of Ezra (CBP)
SOUC also put up a convincing win in their battle against Ezra. Zane Hoffman torched the Bulls with 29 points, including the last eight for his team and the entire game. Aside from Hoffman's production, another thing that played a role in the Strongmen's win was their ability to force fouls from their opponents. Ezra were called for 23 fouls in total, which translated to 33 points for SOUC. On the other hand, the latter combined for just eleven fouls.

Sweet Sixteen: L 75-78 vs. Brattleboro Tech (CDG)
Unfortunately for the second-seeded Strongmen, they would be upset by the 18th-seeded Brats in the next round. The 'Dagans led 40-35 at halftime and as big as 59-46 in the third quarter, but their Yeezie opponents tried their very best to close in on them, even leading 69-68 with less than four minutes left. Matthews scored 16, and Nicky Harmon had 17 in the losing effort. Members of the two teams shook hands after the game, proving that the good relationship between St. Kanye and Cassadaigua is not limited to the well-known friendship between Jeremiah Brooke and Stacie Houston in the NSSCRA.

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Ultra 64 Recap: Kanyean Air Force Academy (STK)

Round 2: W 94-57 vs. Starksville Medical Institute (CDG)
The future airmen soared (get it?) to a 20-4 start in the first quarter on the way to an almost forty-point demolition of the future doctors. Luther Hamilton led the Warhawks with 23 points, six assists and five steals. The KAFA defense also played their part, allowing only two opposing players to score in double digits, both with twelve.

Sweet Sixteen: W 82-66 vs. Chromatik State University (CMT)
The Warhawks soared once more, while the Stars fell. Hamilton and Jean Brady provided more than half of KAFA's output with 21 points apiece as they move on to the Elite Eight.

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Ultra 64 Recap: Elmore Heights Correctional Facility (STK)

Round 2: W 99-56 vs. Eugene Troger University of Biomedicine (TRL)
Pumped up by the increase in attention and support that they're getting back home, the Madd Doggs destroyed their opponents from Trolleborg. "Jimmy Junior" had 26 points and "Chief G" had 21. The game ball went to the latter after he made a wholecourt Hail Mary at the end of the first half, increasing their lead to 41-24.

Sweet Sixteen: L 77-79 vs. University of Loyola-Busukuma (BNJ)
This game was advertised as "Christians vs. Convicts", and it was the former, represented by Loyola-Busukuma, who would prevail at the end. The Elmore Heights players considered the loss to the Crusaders a tough one, bowing their heads in shame and some, even the tougher looking ones, unable to stop the tears. Coach Wilson Simmons told his guys that even though they were eliminated, he was still proud of them for showing their dedication and teamwork, as well as getting as far as the Sweet Sixteen, an impressive accomplishment for a team of inmates.

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Ultra 64 Recap: Queensbridge University (STK)

Round 2: W 88-60 vs. Central 95X College (NFX)
QU's big men helped them earn a big win in the second round. Tyron McDowell had 22 points, while Jareth Livingston had 18. On the defensive side of things, McDowell had two blocks, Livingston had three, and Dalton Parrish had eight steals to go with his twelve points. The Engineers forced 21 turnovers while only committing two.

Sweet Sixteen: W 79-62 vs. New Northwesteros National University - Baratheopolis (NNW)
3NU-B played without their starting power forward, who was injured in their 82-71 upset win against Trolleborg State University. The Engineers took advantage of the loss of one of the Antlers' stars and the eventual fouling out of their equally dangerous point guard and barged into the Elite Eight with this win. Parrish led the way with 20 points, including 14 in the second half.

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Ultra 64 Recap: University of Bompton (STK)

Round 2: L 78-79 vs. Brattleboro Tech (CDG)
Before the Brats booted out SOUC, they edged another Yeezie team a round prior. The Redblues went from enjoying a 47-35 halftime lead to going back and forth with their opponents in the fourth period, due to them losing one of their scoring threats, Bruce Coleman, early in the third. A charging call against the opposing shooting guard turned out to be Coleman's fifth foul. He had 14 points; Todd Hill led UB with 17.

[Banija]

NSCAA 11 whittled down to just 8 teams after competitive Sweet 16


Loyola-Busukuma Crusaders forward taking game-winning three point shot against Elmore Heights Correctional Facility

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- Everybody wants to get to Istria, right? Well, of course they do- that's where the Final Four is this year. The NSCAA tournament is always such a fun, chaotic tournament. All kinds of crazy upsets. The memorable moments that will last a lifetime. And tournament that (on the Banijan calendar at least) is only played every 3 years, you've always got to go all in. Who knows what the teams will look like when NSCAA 12 comes around?

Six Banijan teams entered the Sweet 16. Four of them made it to the Elite 8. Which ones will be playing in the Final Four?

University of Loyola-Istria Blue Thunder

We've talked about this with them, but the pressure on the Blue Thunder was certainly large. They had just witnessed the school's football team collect their third NSCF title, tying Ramusok Capital and the University of Utica for the most all-time. So they had that going for them. And then, of course, the Final Four will be in town. Right here, in their own city, just a couple of miles from campus at Liberty Stadium. But they also had the toughest path to get there. The team in front of them? None other than the undefeated, #1 overall seed, the Frostvale Institute of Technology, out of St. Kanye. Can Frostvale go wire-to-wire without losing a game?

They had designs to ensure there would be no home cooking for the Mormon University in the Final Four. And even though Frostvale had eviscerated all comers before this game, it was a tight one. It was a back and forth battle, that was building up to a stirring climax. With just 15 seconds left, in a game that was tied at 80-80, the Frost Giants hit a mid-range jumper, to take an 82-80 lead, undefeated season on the line. After a screen at the top of the key for Fabba Sowe, he went to the basket, trying to get to the rim. As he went up, Devin Ross came flying out of nowhere, and sent the shot flying back, into the arms of a teammates with just 3.2 seconds left. Once Bridges made both free throws for the undefeated side, that was it. 4 point game, just seconds on the clock. But to clinch it, Martinez stole the ensuing inbounds pass and dribbled away the last few seconds. Blue Thunder fans, although severely disappointed, applauded their team. It was a tough loss, but this is a team that usually bombs out in NSCAA basketball. A conference tournament win, and the Sweet 16, were beyond expectations.

An instant classic, this game was. 7 lead changes in the second half alone. The #1 team, the undefeated giants, the favorites, putting their undefeated season on the line. Both teams getting good punches in. But Frostvale grinded out the win, and were deserved winners. It sets up one all St. Kanye Elite 8 matchup, as Queensbridge University are all that stand between Frostvale and the Final Four.

Northern Moravica Cougars v. University of Moravica Golden Bears

The first inter-Banijan matchup of NSCAA 11 was also an exciting one! The two Moravican public schools, playing after Loyola-Istria had been eliminated, were surely going to be locked in a tight battle. The winner of the game would have the ability to call themselves the best college basketball team in the Moravica Region, since they were the last two Moravica schools left. Both teams, of course, within very close proximity of Istria- Northern Moravica, in Herzegovina City, just under an hour away, while the University of Moravica was around 2-2.5 hours away. Fighting for a chance to go to a Final Four so close to home. An important rivalry, as well, for both schools, and especially for the University of Moravica. And lastly, of course, the University of Moravica trying to get back to the championship game in back-to-back seasons. So much on the line.

And the two schools fought an extremely close game. We'll pick up the summary in the last minute of the game. The game was 81-80, in favor of Northern Moravica. Both teams were playing essentially blanketing defense- and every single person in the building was standing. Could not sit down here. The Golden Bears knew that they had a limited amount of possesions to try and take the lead. With a trio of freshman on the floor, with 50 seconds left, Mamadi Sene drove in, and found Calvin Amora, all alone, in the corner. Amora took what they thought was a three, and drilled it. Unfortunately, his foot was on the line, and the basket was ruled a 2 pointer. But still- 82-81. The Cougars would then come back down the floor. They went to the dominant big, Samba Jagne, in the paint. He posted up, backed his opponent down, and hit a baby hook from about 4 feet.

35 seconds left, 83-82 in favor of the Cougars. A timeout called. The Golden Bears then came back. They dribbled the clock down to about 15 seconds, and then, started the play. It would be the sophomore, Demba Ceesay, who would get the basketball. He hit a floater with about 10 seconds left. 84-83. The Cougars called a timeout. They took the ball from under the basket, and then Ceesay stole it from their point guard! Fouled with 7 seconds left, he had a one & one. He hit the first free throw, but missed the second. The Cougars rebounded the basketball, and raced up the floor. A two to tie and a three to win. It would be Chinwendu Chidey, trying desperately to get to the rim. But while he got the shot off in time, two men were on him, and it clanked off the side of the rim as the buzzer sounded. Golden Bears players rushed onto the floor, as the Northern Moravica team and faithful sat in shock.

George Lampda, the University of Moravica head coach, said the following in the post game. "We're here to prove we're the best team in Moravica, in Banija, and in the world. Check box one- we're the last team from the Moravica Region standing, and we had better regular season records than either Northern or Loyola. Now, we need to continue proving our worth as the best team in Banija. We dropped Northern- and the other Loyola is next. We were so close in the last NSCAA, and we are driven because we have unfinished business. Only one more win until Istria- let's stay focused and take that next step."

Kizza I College

The Cubs drew Akers State, of Northwest Kalactin, as their opponent in the NSCAA 11 Sweet 16. The 58th ranked team out of all the teams left in the NSCAA 11 Tournament, this was the most lopsided game of the Sweet 16. They had a nice Cinderella run to get to this point. But Kizza I College was out to indeed show them that the clock had struck Midnight. The Cubs came out, guns a blazing- they raced out to a 19-4 lead just 6 minutes into the game, as they started the game shooting a blistering 7/8 from the field, including going 4/4 from deep in that first 8 minutes, before the media timeout.

The Cubs are heating up at the right time. Some have accused them of having an 'easier' path than the other Banijan schools to Istria, as they haven't yet drawn a Banijan or St. Kanye school, but they firmly believe that everything that they've gotten, they've earned. "Look, we don't pick who goes onto our schedule." Said Head Coach Idirissa Sanneh. "They tell us who we are going to play, and where we play, and we show up and do our thing. People who say that 'we haven't played anybody' are the negative people in college sports- they desperately want to take away from these kids accomplishments because they don't like our university. Yea, we aren't Loyola-Istria. We aren't from Moravica. So what? Screw em."

They, of course, have one more game to win before they can book flights to Istria. The team standing between them and Istria? Brattleboro Tech, of Cassadaigua. Kizza I College has already beaten a Dagan school, and that was in the second round. It was a particularly close game- not decided until the final minutes, as they only beat U of Concord Heights by six points. This will be a tough matchup for the squad as well. Brattleboro Tech is the only Dagan school left, which means they are carrying the country's flag. And, of course, they had a stunning upset victory over the #2 overall seed, South Union College, to get to this point. Any team that can beat South Union, is good enough to win a title. It's a tossup. Can the Cubs make their first ever NSCAA Final Four?

University of Loyola-Busukuma Crusaders

And now for the Crusaders. The internet, naturally, had taken off with this one- the Men's Theological Seminary taking on the Elmore Heights Correctional Facility, and it had been labeled Christians v. Convicts before anyone could say otherwise. Theoretically, the fanbases for neither of these sides are that large- with the Banijan school being a Seminary, and the St. Kanye School being a jail, neither have much of an alumni base to draw on when it comes for fans to come to games. But those who did attend were energetic, and they watched one hell of a basketball game.

This was yet another game that would come down to the very last play. The Crusaders are a team who don't have much history in this sport- but, when they got a special recruiting class four years ago, their rise in domestic basketball led to their unexpected qualification to this tournament. And now, a starting lineup with 5 seniors had a chance to make history, and make the Elite 8. They led, 76-75, with just 9 seconds left. With that, an Elmore Heights player sliced to the basket, and was able to hit a perfect teardrop floater. The Crusaders then raced back down the floor. Senghore dribbled down the floor, and then, saw Bubacar Faye sitting, open, at the top of the key. He found him, and from nearly 23 feet, Faye, let go as the clock expired. The buzzer sounded, the ball went through the hoop. Complete pandemonium. Absolutely wild celebrations.

Crusaders players, after their initial celebrations, went over to congratulate the Elmore Heights squad on a job well done, and shake their hands. The two teams had a great respect for each other, and in the post-game press conference, Crusaders coach Karamo Jaiteh said that Elmore Heights should hold their heads high. "This is a tough competition to play in, the NSCAA. They were the #6 overall seed! What a season they had. A non-traditional team, and yet, played with all sorts of confidence, they played without fear. They should be proud of their accomplishments." The coach also talked about the Elite 8. "Well, we get the University of Moravica. It'll be a fun matchup- an inter-Banijan one. How fun would it be for this Loyola to be staging a takeover of Istria, eh? We've got to leave it all on the floor against the Golden Bears. They may be the big boys on the block, but we're capable of matching up with anybody in the NSCAA, and we'll certainly leave it all on the floor in two days."

Hangaza Technological University

The #4 overall seed. The exact same record as University of Moravica- 31-2. Three of the top 4 seeds in this tournament are still left when we get here to the Elite 8. Of course, while South Union went down, the other two top seeds suffered scares. Frostvale's game wasn't decided until the final seconds, when a block with under 5 seconds left finally put the Blue Thunder away for good. And the University of Moravica's game went all the way to the buzzer, as the game-tying shot attempt by NMU's point guard could not find the net. It leaves Hangaza Tech as the fourth of the original top 4 seeds to play in the Sweet 16.

And they, of course, dominated. They were dominant in their first two games, and they followed that up by pretty clearly showing themselves as the better team over Marquette College, out of the Hampton Islands. IT was a close game for probably the first 3/4s of the game. Hangaza Tech led for most of the game, but they never stretched their lead beyond seven for the first 30 minutes of gameplay. With 9:50 left, Hangaza Tech called a timeout, leading by a score of 66-63, just three points. But then, the offense went off. They seemingly could not miss- the River Rats went on a stunning 15-0 run. They can catch fire at the right time, and completely overwhelm teams.

Hangaza Tech did just that. A 15-0 run at the right moment, even through a media timeout, just snuffed the life out of Marquette College. Over the course of 4 minutes, the River Rats went from being up 3, and anticipating the game going to the wire, to being up by 18, 81-63, and seeing themselves simply running with the game. While the run ended there, it was the psychological gut punch that was needed to eliminate Marquette College. But their next opponent will be much tougher. The best matchup, by seeding, left in the tournament. #4 overall seed, Hangaza Tech, against #5 overall seed, the Kanyean Air Force Academy. It will be a massive game between the two talented sides.

Both teams haven't really played a close game yet in this tournament. And they are about to do so- but this time, with everything on the line. Which one will clinch a trip to the Final Four in what is sure to be an extremely close, competitive quarterfinal?

[Saint Kanye]

NSCAA 11 ELITE EIGHT PREVIEW

From a hundred and fifty, the number of schools fighting for the grandest prize in international college hoops has been cut down to sixty-four, and then to just eight. But who are these eight that could be considered great? Or better yet, elite? Let's find out.

Frostvale Institute of Technology (STK) Frost Giants vs. Queensbridge University (STK) Engineers
Two Kanyean schools will battle it out for one of the spots in the Final Four. While not actually rivals, FIT and QU have wildly different play styles, which should make for an interesting matchup. Who will prevail? Will it be the Frost Giants' explosive offense or the Engineers' suffocating defense?

FIT have invited students and other supporters to do a "whiteout" and wear, well, white to the game. Their QU counterparts, on the other hand, will be having everyone "seeing red".

Kanyean Air Force Academy (STK) Warhawks vs. Hangaza Technological University (BNJ) River Rats
St. Kanye may have brought three schools to the quarterfinal round, but Banija had four. KAFA will have to formulate a good battle plan against one of those Banijan teams, the Rats, who are especially dangerous scorers and will likely do all they can to reach the title game on home soil.

The theme for the Warhawks for their game is "true blue"; members of the pro-KAFA crowd are expected to wear that color. Yellow accents are acceptable, but no green - that's Hangaza Tech's color.

Kizza I College (BNJ) Cubs vs. Brattleboro Technical Institute (CDG) Brats
Brattleboro Tech won all three of their Ultra 64 matches so far by a single possession each. They'll be hoping to bring some of that "Dagan magic", as well as hope that the pressure of being Cassadaigua's remaining hope doesn't catch up to them, as they go up against yet another school that just wants to win at home. As for the Cubs, they would need to get the most out of Antouman Ceesay. Having a clearly defined star player or players seems to be one of the trademarks of Banijan basketball - remember the Savaneh twins in the IBC?

University of Loyola-Busukuma (BNJ) Crusaders vs. University of Moravica (BNJ) Golden Bears
Here we have the Elite Eight's other matchup between squads from the same country. Both are fresh off close wins, If the all-St. Kanye matchup features offense (the Frost Giants) versus defense (the Engineers), this Banijan battle will have youth (the Golden Bears, who have a freshman-laden lineup) against experience (the Crusaders, with an all-senior starting five). One thing's for sure, though, and that is the stadium being packed.

[Cassadaigua]

Brats Playing Spoiler,
by Kaitlyn Scoville, Concord Heights Times

Liberty Stadium awaits its four teams. At the end of this very busy night in Cassadagan sports, those four teams will be known. There is not a lot of variation in the nations that the eight schools left that still have a chance are from. Saint Kanye. Saint Kanye again. Banija. Saint Kanye once more. That’s the top half. Cassadaigua. Banija again. Banija a third time. Banija a fourth time. Some folks might have just suggested reseeding them at this point to get the top school from Saint Kanye to meet the top school from Banija in the title game, but it’s almost set up that way if you think about it. Each of those nations should be completely proud of how their schools have represented their home countries.

There is one school bucking the trend of Saint Kanye or Banija, and that is Brattleboro Technical Institute, otherwise known as Brat Tech. They are the biggest reason that Saint Kanye has only seen three of its schools advance to the Elite Eight, taking out University Of Bompton, 79-78, which wasn’t really an upset. It was the 15 seed vs the 18 seed, and the final score showed that. However, the next round would be a surprise as the #2 seed, South Union College, who had been so strong ever since they tipped off in their first conference tournament. A fantastic effort saw them jump on the Strongmen early, and then hang on to prevail, 78-75.

For Cassadagan Sports fans, the surprise here is that it is Brattleboro Tech, and not one of our other schools doing the surprise tournament run. This is a school that has always performed well in conference play, but has always found a way to lose early in the Ultra 64 tournament. In NSCAA 10, for example, they could not even make it out of the second round. At home in Cassadaigua this year, they were upset in the second round of the tournament here. So of all schools doing this, it’s Brat Tech? Coach Rachel Thorpe told me that, “It is a different role for them to be an underdog. They are used to being one of the top teams in anything they ever compete in. Coming out here, they had to prove themselves against better opposition, and I think they have shown that.” Senior forward Suzi McComis says they have put the past behind them, “We know that anything is possible in these tournaments. We have been the beaten favorite too many times, so against South Union in particular, we were not intimidated, because from our own failures, we knew that we could beat them. It’s funny how that works, I gather, but that is how we felt!”

It’s still not going to be easy for Brat Tech with only Banijan schools on their half of the bracket left. Kizza I College has played well, but had one tough game in the Ultra 64, which came in the second round. That was a 78-72 win over University of Concord Heights. Would Brat Tech actually look towards UCH for help in game planning that win? Coach Thorpe would not say one way or the other if they had been in conversation. While you want there to be a sense of national pride, there’s a rivalry between what are actually the two largest schools in the country. If the Brats somehow could pull this off, they would be the fourth Cassadagan school to win an NSCAA title. They may get lost in the shadow of all the schools from Saint Kanye and Banija, but they are still hanging around, and being brats towards opponents that were hoping to go further.

[Newmanistan]

Got a little to focused on watching the NFL Draft, but now we'll cut this off!

Results

[Banija]

The Golden Bear Report
The Student Newspaper for the University of Moravica

NSCAA 11 has proven this- we're the best basketball school in Banija, and we should be damn proud of it


A view of the most bad-ass basketball court in Atlantian Oceania

ISTRIA, MORAVICA- Oh my gosh! Here we find ourselves. In the NSCAA Final Four for the second straight season. This is something that never happens! The last four years, including this year, of basketball at our school- we've been so blessed to go to a school as good as this one. It may sound like I'm bragging- and I am! I'm a proud second generation Golden Bear- my parents both went to school here, back in their day. Met here, actually. So many friends who grew up fans of Northern and Loyola. Where are they now? Exactly.

I'm actually from Istria, so I'm actually writing this from back home. And yes, of course I have tickets to go to Liberty Stadium tonight. I wouldn't miss this for the world. But let's look back at exactly how much of an accomplishment this for the Golden Bears. How crazy have the last few seasons been? Let's go through the last seven seasons, including this one, to talk about how far we've come. NSCAA 9- conference title, sweet 16. Year after? National Championship. Next season- Undefeated regular season, national semifinals loss. NSCAA 10? Championship game. Year after? Another national championship(and who did we beat that year? Ironically, Kizza I College). Last season we went to the quarterfinals. And now, we're back in the NSCAA Final Four.

We're easily the most successful Banijan NSCAA program by a landslide. Last season, we were the first ever Banijan school to make the Elite 8, Final Four, and NSCAA Championship Game. We've got a pair of NSCAA conference championships. Look, I hate to say it(I really don't), but basketball is just our thing! Man, if you're a college sports fan anywhere in this country, but especially in Moravica, then you know the arrogance of Loyola and NMU fans. How awesome was it that Loyola-Istria's chances at a home Final Four were literally rejected by Frostvale? What a moment that was. Nothing more college basketball than enjoying the misery of your rivals, right? And then, that we were the ones to knock out Northern Moravica. They beat us last year- and now, we've returned the favor.

We've really had to ride to the Banijan gauntlet to get to this point, haven't we? We had to take on Northern Moravica, head to head, in the Sweet 16. Demba Ceesay's floater! That will live on forever. And then, of course, another Banijan school- Loyola-Busukuma. Who let the Seminary have a basketball team? C'mon. They have a hell of a basketball team though, and what a game that was. Probably the craziest game I've ever been to! 81-81, time running out on the shot clock. Mamadi Sene. A true freshman. Hitting a pull-up three with no time left on the shot clock, and three seconds left on the game clock. The Crusaders sprinting down the floor, wildly throwing up a half court shot that was nowhere. Once again, we take it down to the end, and once we again, we emerged on top.

And now, time for us to take over Istria! We didnt' have great attendance at the last Final Four, all the way in Tundra Falls. But we gotta turn out here- it's just a couple hours away from campus! Moravica is ours now, and Istria specifically- we gotta prove it. We at least have one weekend to show up all those smug Loyola fans- smug fans of either Loyola campus, to be honest. We're undoubtedly the Kings of basketball in this region, and we will be for the country at-large once we eliminate a third Banijan school in the Semifinals. Let's all get to Istria, watch us send Kizza I College back to Busukuma, and clinch a berth in the Championship Game!

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Kizza I College School President Jamaal Hali, Postgame of Kizza I College v. Brattleboro Tech

As a Brattleboro Tech player threw up a desperation heave, down 6, the final buzzer sounded. The red lights around the backboard turned on, and Hali jumped for joy in his suite. "We're going to Istria!" The 55 year old yelled. Even though he was on the wrong side of 50, he still had a remarkable amount of energy. That, of course, is what made him a good choice to be School President of the premier school in the nation's capitol.

The school's recent basketball success was aligning with his vision to grow Kizza I College to become one of the big boys of Banijan higher education, on par with Loyola-Istria and Northern Moravica up in the northwest. They had been upgraded to a full University a while ago- although they had kept the name, Kizza I College, for branding purposes. It flowed so well, the alumni base loved the name. Jamaal Hali, of course, kissed both of his wives while in the booth after they had won. And then after high-fiving Elijah Abdallah, the school's Athletic Director, with one of his wives on his right, and the other on his left, he was guided down by security onto the Court.

OF course, many of the Brattleboro Tech fans had left the stadium by now- fans generally don't stick around to watch the other team's celebrations. But there were a few fans left. After the head coach spoke, Jamaal Hali took the mic. "Go Cubs!" He yelled, as players high-fived each other. "We're all excited here. This University is about the pursuit of excellence across all fields, and that is as true in athletics as it is in any sort of field. We've got true world-class college athletes here. Young men who are excellent in the classroom, and both on and off the court. They are a shining beacon of the benefit of this University's values. The road doesn't stop here, right? Let's take over Istria, beat the Golden Bears, and get to the NSCAA Championship Game!"

Jamaal Hali, after his speech, went down to sit in the front row. HE congratulated a couple of Brattleboro Tech fans on a great season, and the accomplishment of making it to the Elite 8 against all the odds. And then, he walked up to different family members on the Cubs team and congratulate them on the performance of their sons in that game. And what a game it was. He shook hands with Antouman Ceesay's parents, who was the man of the hour. He had a particularly dominant double-double, scoring 24 points, and grabbing 13 rebounds, to help his team win.

And now, next weekend, they'd be flying up to Istria. The country's biggest city. To the iconic Liberty Stadium, home of the Black Mambas, home to the Final Four. Hali himself would be making calls, inviting the city's bigwigs. What a weekend to fund-raise for the University, wasn't it? Inviting people into a suite at Liberty Stadium? Alumni, of course, would be the first on the list. He'd be making calls to a few others as well. Some people wouldn't be asked to donate- just their presence would make people more likely to come. Even some of the city's soccer stars, like U21 World Champion Adama Coote, would be a big hit.

That'd be fun, wouldn't it? And as soon as he got home, he started making phone calls, getting ready for the Final Four. And, of course, hope. They've gotten this far- may as well go and win it now, right?

[Newmanistan]

We know what nations will be in the final, but with what schools? Semifinal cutoff!

Results

[Saint Kanye]

ELITE EIGHT RECAP

Queensbridge University (STK) Engineers 85, Frostvale Institute of Technology (STK) Frost Giants 82
The Frost Giants had a great NSCAA debut, demolishing opposing squads from other countries all tournament long. Turns out the only ones who could bring them down would be their fellow Kanyeans, the Engineers.

FIT used their high-octane offense to their advantage at the start of the game, jumping ahead to a 52-41 lead at halftime. QU felt that their defense, which they were famous for, wasn't doing enough, and so they tightened it up in the second half, allowing the Frost Giants only thirteen points in the third quarter to reduce the lead to 65-58. The two teams were just exchanging baskets for most of the fourth quarter. This wouldn't be enough for the Engineers, so they continued to intensify their D and force more turnovers on their opponents. With 2:32 left in the game, FIT's lead was now just four, 79-75. QU's Matt Murasaki fired a three to cut their deficit to one. The ball went in, but there was a foul by Curtis Bridges. That meant an extra free throw and the chance to tie.

Murasaki missed the free throw, and the Frost Giants rebounded. A few sequences later, the lead grew back to four, 82-78 after backup small forward Bradley Tucker hit a corner three. Murasaki tried to respond with another three, but he missed. Jareth Livingston was there to rebound though, and he soared for a dunk. He made it, but there was a foul, this time on C.J. Carter. Livingston completed the three-point play. 82-81, FIT.

After the timeout, the Frost Giants tried to extend the lead again, but Bridges' shot was blocked by Livingston. The Engineers rebounded, and now they had a chance to take the lead. Backup PG Arian Schmidt ran up the court, passed to Livingston, who was pressured and passed back to Schmidt, who tried to attack the basket, but was fouled in the process. That's Carter's fifth, and he would be forced out of the game.

Schmidt made the first free throw, making the score 82-all. Both the FIT and QU faithful were silent as he attempted the second one. He made that one too, and now the Engineers are up 83-82. Only 38 seconds remain at this point. The Frost Giants used their last timeout. They needed that lead back if they wanted to stay alive. Tucker fired up a mid-range shot, no dice. Bridges got the rebound and tried a shot himself, still nothing. Devin Ross rebounded, still nothing. Tyron McDowell soared and grabbed the rebound before Ross or Bridges could do it. McDowell immediately threw the ball to Schmidt, who then passed to Murasaki, back to Schmidt, who made the layup. 85-82 QU, 0:10, no timeouts left.

The Frost Giants needed a three, but Marlon Martinez's attempt bounced out, and so did Tucker's after the follow-up. The buzzer sounded, meaning that it was the Engineers who would proceed to the Final Four. The FIT players were disappointed to be knocked out, but they were good sports and shook hands with their QU counterparts.

Kanyean Air Force Academy (STK) Warhawks 80, Hangaza Technological University (BNJ) River Rats 73
The Warhawks also won from behind, coming back from a 62-50 deficit at the end of the third. Luther Hamilton, who spent the majority of the first half on the bench with three fouls, came alive in the second half, scoring 25 of his 31 points there. KAFA made the usually sweet-shooting River Rats fall flat in the last 2:06 as they outscored them 12-5 to turn a 68-all deadlock into a seven-point win and a Final Four seat.

The Warhawks' next opponent will be the Engineers, ensuring that one team in the title match will be from the Glorious Free Republic.

Kizza I College (BNJ) Cubs 76, Brattleboro Technical Institute (CDG) Brats 70
Cassadaigua's only hope were snuffed out by one of the "home" teams. Even if their last second Hail Mary had gone in, the deficit was six, and the Cubs would still have advanced.

University of Moravica (BNJ) Golden Bears 84, University of Loyola-Busukuma (BNJ) Crusaders 81
Freshman Mamadi Sene was the hero for U of M, making a buzzer-beating three with no time left. They will be facing the Cubs next, and whatever happens, the two most dominant countries in this edition of the NSCAA (St. Kanye and Banija) would be meeting each other in the finals.

---

FINAL FOUR RECAP

Kanyean Air Force Academy (STK) Warhawks 79, Queensbridge University (STK) Engineers 67
Unfortunately for the Frost Giant Slayers of QU, they would themselves lose to their fellow Yeezies in the semis. KAFA out-defensed the masters of defense, forcing 17 turnovers on the Engineers against just seven of their own. The Warhawks' offense was similarly hot, scoring a combined 11 for 14 (79%) from long range, as well as 10 for 12 (83%) at the line. At the end of the game, QU head coach Buddy Shields told KAFA mentor Harvey Shelton, "Congratulations and good luck. Go beat the Banijans for us, okay?"

University of Moravica (BNJ) Golden Bears 83, Kizza I College (BNJ) Cubs 75
The Bears beat the Younger Bears (get it, because Cubs) to make a return trip to the NSCAA championship game. Interestingly, they would again be playing a team with a blue and yellow color scheme and a nickname containing the word "Hawks". This season it's the KAFA Warhawks, while last season it was the Sadeg State University Skyhawks from Drawkland. Those Skyhawks won, but failed to make the Ultra 64 this time around.

Nationstates Stock Car Racing Association driver Skip Stiller, from St. Kanye, proposed to Banijan racer Jelan Ozoemena a bet that depends on the outcome of the Warhawks-Golden Bears game. If KAFA win, Ozoemena must wear a purple and lime (St. Kanye's colors) firesuit to the race in Tropicorp, and a blue and yellow (KAFA) firesuit in TJUN-ia. If U of M win, Stiller wears an orange and green (Banija) and a black and gold (U of M) firesuit in those respective races.

[Banija]

George Lampda, Head Coach for the University of Moravica, 50 seconds left in game v. Kizza I College

"Timeout, call a timeout!" George Lampda, the University of Moravica head coach yelled at his point guard. The Kizza I College Cubs had just hit a 3, and their half of Liberty Stadium was going absolutely nuts. The Golden Bears had led by a score of 78-68, but the Cubs had just finished a 7-0 run to pull within 3. Even Farfadillis World Cup winner Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì, who was at the game as a guest of the Busukuma-based Kizza I College, was going nuts after that thunderous play.

A 78-68 lead with 2:10 left for the University of Moravica. They were thinking, of course, that they were right on the brink of making their second consecutive NSCAA championship game. A feat that would be quite an accomplishment- to go to back-to-back championship games in a tournament that can see as much chaos as the Ultra 64. But they were maybe counting their chickens too early, as the Cubs, who, being down 10 with under 2 and a half minutes left, knew that they had everything left to play for, and were going to leave it all on the court.

It was almost a slow-moving trainwreck. Malick Gassama, the senior small forward playing for the Cubs, hit a long two to make the score 78-70. Ok, that was fine- if the Golden Bears came back down and were able to score on their possession, they could essentially bury this game. Especially since the Cubs weren't following- they were trusting themselves and their ability to play good defense. And it was probably too early to start fouling- don't want your starters fouling out of the game. But the defense was sound, and the Cubs forced a shot clock violation. Still 78-70 in favor of the Golden Bears.

Things were a bit nervewracking, but everything was still OK. This was one of those venues where you could never forget the stakes- playing this Final Four game in the big, beautiful Liberty Stadium in Istria, the domed jewel on the city's beachfront. Playing a basketball game in a football stadium was always a crazy experience- well over 70,000 packed the stadium, bringing all sorts of energy and noise. But the nerves could get to you. On the next Cubs possesion, after about 15 seconds, they found Antouman Ceesay in the post. He made a move, got fouled, and got the bucket. And-1. He hit his free throw. 1:29 left, Golden Bears lead had been halved- from 78-68 to 78-73. The Cubs had some momentum.

Lampda held onto his last timeout. He would admit after the game that he hadn't had the best timeout management earlier in the half, but he had used them strategically to stem Cubs runs earlier in the game. But now, with just one left, he couldn't use it. Trust his players, trust the offense. On that ensuing possession, up five, they would really go for it. After about 20 seconds of dribbling out the clock, Mamadi Sene called for a pick and roll with fellow freshman Wandi Kolley. The double team came for the Elite 8 hero- and he threw the ball in to a wide open Wandi Kolley. A mini 4 on 3 for the Golden Bears. The Cubs defense collapsed, Kolley found a wide open Calvin Amora, in the corner. Amora took the three pointer... And it clanked off the back rim, and out of bounds. The shot they wanted- but they could not hit.

Now, 78-73, the Golden Bears led. But Cubs basketball. The Cubs came down the floor. They called a quick screen at the top, and Cubs point guard Duta Sonko sprinted to the rim. Antouman Ceesay was coming up on the back side, unguarded. A perfect lob, and Ceesay caught it in the air and slammed it home. A thunderous dunk. He screamed as he ran back down. Now, 78-75, just 50 seconds left. Lampda had no choice but to use it last timeout- the game was slipping away from his boys. He had them in the huddle. A stadium with so many people- it was hard to hear. But Lampda made himself heard. "Ok guys, don't feel the pressure!" The head coach said. "We know why we're here. We have an unfinished mission, from the last NSCAA- take that last step. You all have done so well, as young men, to get to this point. I need you to give me a little bit more! The chance to play in a championship game, in this stadium? This is once in a lifetime. We don't want regrets for the rest of our lives, on what might have been."

And so, Lampda drew up the play on the whiteboard. The goal would be this- get the ball in the hands of the other star freshman, Ebrahima Faye. They came back out, and dribbled down the clock. With 8 seconds left in the shot clock, they really got the play going. Ebrahima Faye came off of an off-ball screen by Calvin Amora. He got the basketball, took one step forward, and then, faded away. It was a beautiful shot- nothing but net for the freshman. He pumped his fist as the Golden Bears raced back to defense. Duta Sonko was dribbling up the floor. He tried to race to the rim, but was rejected by Wandi Kolley. 15 seconds left- University of Moravica led 80-75. Sonko got the ball again, and heaved up the 3, and missed. The Golden Bears got the rebound- they could start to feel it. Demba Ceesay hit the first free throw, but missed the second. THe Cubs raced back up the floor one last time, but missed their three. Another foul. This time, Mamadi Sene hit both free throws. And the University of Moravica got the steal off of the ensuing inbounds pass, and simply dribbled the clock out.

George Lampda yelled as the buzzer sounded. "YES!" He screamed as he hugged other coaches. They were going back to the championship game! He walked across the baseline, shaking hands with his counterpart from Kizza I College. They congratulated each other, and Lampda walked through the handshake line, congratulating each of the Cubs players. After that, he was so excited. Back to the championship game, once again! But they would have all they could handle, as they would be drawn against the Warhawks of the Kanyean Air Force Academy.

Lampda, a decade ago, had taken over a basketball program that had fallen on hard times, and returned it to powerhouse status within Banija. Two national championships. A NSCAA title game appearance. And another NSCAA title game appearance, on the backs of defeating three different Banijans sides on the way to get here. The NSCAA, though, was the pinnacle of the college game. There was no greater trophy than the one they'd be competing for on Monday night. Would the last missing piece of his coaching career in Slobochia, a NSCAA championship, be added on Monday night?

[Newmanistan]

A champion is about to be crowned. This is the final cutoff of NSCAA 11!

Congratulations to the winner