IBC30 [rosters/RPs/results]

[Sarzonia]

Under any set of circumstances, it would be foolish to expect the Sarzonian national basketball team to realistically expect to compete on equal footing with Newmanistan as the two teams tipped off in the semifinals of the 30th International Basketball Championships.

Regardless of how you account for time, the epic battles between the Stars and the Rockets for IBC supremacy happened a long time ago. Whether you subscribe to the Empire's assertion that those battles happened decades ago or simply years ago in Sarzonian measure, the glory days of the Stars-Rockets rivalry have long since passed. Henry West is no longer the Stars coach and Chris Draden is no longer Sarzonia's marquee player, and Corey Ostroff was recently memorialised by Newmanistanian basketball supporters.

Sarzonia would fall short of its upset hopes, losing to the Rockets 90-78, consigning them to a third place playoff against Green Group rivals Quebec, who got absolutely demolished 103-61 by Banija in their semifinal match despite the Lions surviving a four-overtime thriller in the quarterfinals against Kriegiersien.

Even though the matchup between this Stars team and this Rockets unit may not be like the glory days of the past, the anticipation for this Stars-Rockets matchup was through the roof. Despite the fact that it was Thomas Manningham, not West calling the shots for Sarzonia and it was Henry's youngest son Mike West who was the Sarzonian player named to the Team of the Tournament by readers of The Háttmark Harbinger, a website based in host nation Græntfjall, any sense that the two teams would downplay the history between the teams ended as soon as Stars centre Terry Rutledge crouched in position for the opening tip against his Rockets counterpart Byron Storm. Manningham looked and saw Rockets head coach Kevin Gibson direct a scowl toward him. Manningham returned it with one of his own, leading a Drawk official to put his hands up to both coaches as if to say "shut it down, you two."

The Rockets jumped out to an early 15-2 lead and looked for all the multiverse like the top ranked team in basketball and the No. 2 seeds of this tournament. They looked like they were about to run the Stars right out of the building as Rutledge quickly ran into foul trouble with two personals in just four minutes of play. After a media timeout, Manningham opted for a small lineup with Mike West taking over at the 3 and Trent Klatt operating at centre. It led to a modest 8-0 Sarzonia run that cut the gap to five. Point guard Travis Warden got around reserve Stars guard Jayne Cruz and fired a 3-pointer that closed out the first quarter and quelled the Stars run with the Rockets up eight.

Newmanistan (12-1) used the momentum of that end-of-quarter three to fuel a 12-2 run that forced Manningham to burn a timeout he'd hoped to save for the end of the half, but then Manningham decided to risk sending Rutledge out despite his foul trouble with Klatt heading to the dressing room to get his ankle taped after a collision on the court. Rutledge then blocked a short-range jumper by Storm that Mike West corralled and bolted down the court with. He slammed the ball home in transition and the Stars suddenly had new life. They went on a 14-2 run of their own, leading Gibson to call timeout and bark at his players.

For his part, Manningham told his team to tighten up defensively and had them initiate a full-court press, something his teams seldom did. His intent, as he explained it to Cruz was to show the Rockets a different look that they weren't expecting. However, Newmanistan broke the press and notched a 3-pointer. Still, the change in tactics led to two turnovers in the next two possessions and two consecutive mid-range jumpers by Mike West, and Sarzonia were now down 32-30 at the half. However, the Stars were running on fumes after two overtime victories against higher seeded teams, and the third quarter would expose that. The Rockets won that quarter 35-21 and began to send on a couple of reserves to allow starters to rest up for their battle against Banija.

That's when the Stars reached back for a little bit extra with five minutes left and the Rockets up 88-68, going on one final 10-2 run to make the final margin respectable. Following the match and a brief handshake with Gibson and a short, perfunctory interview with assembled media, Manningham reiterated what he'd told people before his first match as Stars manager.

"It's a process," he said, reminding the media that the Stars were 82nd ranked prior to the previous edition of the IBC. "We hadn't competed internationally for a long time, and we weren't good in the 28th IBC. We've come a long way in these two editions, but building back to a team that can realistically consider itself one of the basketball blue bloods is going to take time. It may happen next IBC. It might not. But we can be proud of all the work we've done."

When a reporter asked Mike West, who led the Stars with 27 points against the Rockets, about being named to the Team of the Tournament by The Háttmark Harbinger’s website's readers, he snapped, "small consolation. Next question." The next day, Mike West issued a statement.

"I'm honoured that the readers of The Háttmark Harbinger have chosen me to be among the five members of the Team of the Tournament," his statement, which also appeared on the microblogging site Chirp. "It's a testament to the hard work of my teammates that allowed us all to be in a position to challenge for a trip to the finals in this tournament. I'm sorry if my comments last night didn't reflect the deep honour I feel toward being considered for this honour."

As for the third meeting with Quebec, Mannnigham said the team would not use the third placed playoff to rest any starters.

"We're out for revenge," he said, "and we want to prove to those guys we belong on the medal stand."

[Banija]

Head Coach Isaiah Lavaga, the day after their IBC 30 Semifinal against the Royal Kingdom of Quebec

"Men!" Lavaga yelled. The team clapped and whooped and cheered for a second, and then fell silent. "We've had one goal since the last IBCs, since we lost in such devastating fashion to Newmanistan. Remember how we felt. Channel that energy and that emotion not into feeling down about ourselves, but channel that energy into getting even better and to getting back to this stage. We felt it in Canterlot, at the IBCs. We felt that same feeling against Greater Vakolicci Haven, in Istria, at the Olympics. But have we ever complained? No! Have we felt sorry for ourselves? No! We put our heads down and our hearts together, and we have fought and clawed our way back to the Championship Game."

"The first thing I have to announce- the word Newmanistan is unbanned!" And the players laughed. Isaiah Lavaga knew that many of the players, going into the tournament, had wanted to get revenge for the IBC XXIX Final- but he knew that if they sat there focusing on Newmanistan, they'd never get the opportunity to face Newmanistan. Newmanistan has been an absolute wrecking ball at this tournament, essentially annihilating every single team that they've played against. They are a true juggernaut- 26-1 in their last 27 IBC contests, their only loss a close, 79-78 loss in the group stages of this tournament.

The media was asking questions way early in the group stages about Newmanistan, foreign media was talking about this as a potential matchup weeks ago. He couldn't have the Lions players get distracted. So, he had banned the word. Don't talk about Newmanistan unless they are our opponent. Don't even think about Newmanistan unless they are our opponent. They are taking this tournament and sport by storm, trying to earn this second consecutive title. The second title in a row would make them the third true dynasty to take over the IBCs since AO last won, with Saint Kanye winning 4 of 5, including the last three in a row, in the front half of the IBC 20s, while Vangaziland won back to back in IBC 26 and 27, and went to the final of IBC 28.

And it's a good thing. The Kriegiersien matchup that the Lions had took everything out of them. Four overtimes. Banija having to reach deep into its bench for crucial minutes, having four starters foul out. The game coming down to the very final possession, where our backup center made the game-winning block on the game's final play to put down the upstarts and survive. Many thought that the team simply wouldn't have anything left for the Quebec game. And Lavaga, admittedly, was concerned. He knew that his squad couldn't survive another long, tense, physical matchup. So they went for the early knockout. Blitz Quebec early and often, hit your shots, run the floor, get a big lead, and then maintain a vice grip on that lead. That's what the Banijans did. After Quebec hit their first shot of the game to go up 3-0, the Banijans launched a 17-1 run that gave us a 17-4 lead, and we never looked back. The lead only expanded from there, with the game ending in a 42 point blowout of their Commonwealth archrivals, the Royal Kingdom of Quebec. A great game- out of reach early in the second half, he was able to empty his bench and, crucially, rest his starters, who had played for so long against Kriegiersien just a few nights before. It was all he could do so that he could keep them fresh for the Final.

"And now, we have Newmanistan." Coach Lavaga said. "Again. DO I need to play the film!" The players screamed no. They all remembered the four point play that killed their title hopes. And Coach Lavaga started telling them his gameplan. "Last time, we did not do a good enough job scouting them. But if we want to be the best, we have to beat the best. Newmanistan are the champs. They are a team that is 26-1 since the start of IBC XXIX. But they play with a 4 point line. Their players will bomb away from literally anywhere within halfcourt, so we're going to have to pick a lot of their players up as soon as they cross halfcourt. Especially the ball handler."

Lavaga paused, and then continued. "It is a difficult defense for our 1-3-1 to try and pick up. When you stretch our 1-3-1 to the extent Newmanistan can, it can really open up holes in our zone. Holes closer to the three point line, open 2s, giving paths to the basket and stranding our center on an island. They did a lot of that to us last time around, and we're going to have to close those down. We cannot run our normal 1-3-1 against a team that's willing to bomb it from anywhere inside halfcourt- unless their shooting goes cold(possible but unlikely), we're simply going to give up too many three point shots within their shooting range."

"Peyser is their true sharpshooter. He can catch and shoot from wherever, and they can get the ball to him. We're going to have to play a bit more aggressively on our 1-3-1 zone. We've been pushing the zone up in practice. We're going to have to play the three quarters 1-3-1 zone defense. Don't let Newmanistan run. Our point guard will let them inbound, of course, but we pick up their point guard when he gets the ball. Don't have to go for the steal, you don't want to get beat- but slow him down enough. We'll be aggressive. They'll have to go for lower percentage, longer passes and lobs. It stretches the defense, but it's our best chance to get steals and ensure that they aren't shooting uncontested from within their range. Watching film and remember the IBC XXIX Final, their guards are bombing away from everywhere inside halfcourt, so it's important that those shots are taken away.

We're going to have to play high, and drop back. It'll require a lot of energy from our guys. Of course, rotations tighten when you reach a final, but this new style means at least that, during the first half, we're going to have a lot of rotations to keep guys fresh and hydrated. In the second half, we're going to lean on our starters, of course, but everybody's going to have a chance to contribute. Let's get out there and practice. Envision it men! We're on the cusp. The goal is at hand. I need your undivided focus and drive for two more days! Now- Banija on 3!"

The men said the cheer, and ran out to the floor. He loved their energy levels, their passion, their commitment. Hopefully that would translate on the floor against the best team in the game today, Newmanistan.

[Graintfjall]

Hoooowl! Cutoff for the 3PPO.

---

Sarzonia 62–74 Royal Kingdom of Quebec

[Graintfjall]

Squawwwwk! Cutoff for the final

Banija 71–71 Newmanistan (91–85 OT)

[Banija]

Banija soars in Double Overtime against Newmanistan to emerge as the champions of IBC 30


Banijan players celebrate after the game ends and they are declared champions

Háttmark, GRAENTJFALL- Champions. A great word, isn't it? As a nation, this is our 3rd final in our three biggest sports during this cycle, winning the World Cup 86 Final, losing the World Bowl XL final, and then this IBC 30 Final. It is our 3rd straight major international final in men's basketball, having lost the prior 2. We fell in the IBC XXIX Final to this very same Newmanistan team in Equestria, and then we fell in the Gold Medal Match of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, in Istria. As Isaiah Lavaga said in his post game press conference- "it is our failures at this level of the sport that have taught us how to succeed."

We all know how the last title game ended. 82-82, under 20 seconds left. A three point shot for Newmanistan, plus a foul- one of the greatest plays in IBC Final history. We were, of course, determined to avoid that same fate this year. And this time around, the game was tight. Banija was focused on re-tooling its defense to allow less space to Newmanistan's shooters, and make it a generally lower scoring game. Something that the Banijans thought would favor them, considering the unique rules of Newmanistan basketball make them such dangerous shooters. And it was definitely a solid strategy.

Both halves were lower scoring as compared to their previous title games. But it was a tight affair throughout. You could see the different philosophies of the coaching staffs. While in the first half, both teams were using constant substitutions, in the second half, Newmanistan kept their rotations up while Lavaga really leaned on his starters. It's a matter of philosophy- same thing happened last time around, and Newmanistan won. But it was a thing. Lavaga didn't make a single substitution during the fourth quarter.

With Newmanistan holding a 71-69 lead with 11 seconds left, the Banijans would have themselves a chance to equalize. Back to the basket, he turned, and dribbled with his left hand. He was challenged at the rim by the Rockets center, the 7'2 rim protector Byron Storm. He was able to pull his left arm, with the ball, just beyond the outstretched arms of Storm, to lay the ball up and off the backboard, and into the net. 4 seconds left. NEwmanistan raced up the floor and got a shot off, but it was well off the mark. The IBC 30 Final between these two heavyweights- Banija and Newmanistan- who had both rocked nearly all comers at this tournament, would go to overtime.

For both teams, it was a rare experience that they had a game that came all the way down to the wire. For Banija, they had won all 10 group games and their Round of 16 game by double digits, including defeat Nova Anglicana in the Round of 16 by 32 points. Not all of those were necessarily blowouts, of course, but still- solid wins. But they got tested in the Quarterfinals, and Kriegiersien pushed the Lions to their limit. After four overtimes, Banija won that game by one, 127-126. And then, of course, we won by 40+ against Quebec in the semis. For Newmanistan, they lost on Matchday 7 to Nova Anglicana, 79-78, while in the Round of 16, they battled out a close victory against the host nation, 69-62, in a defensive slugfest.

But here they were. Winner takes all. And 40 minutes couldn't seperate these two. Could 45? Of course, the intensity for overtime in a final was through the roof. There were no games left- you had to lay it all on the line here. And while Newmanistan hit a pair of three pointers to open the scoring in the overtime, Banija tightened up defensively and hit three consecutive twos- a midrange jumper by Akabueze, then a fadeaway jumper by Nabongo, and then an alley-oop from Bullo to Bartaba, to tie the game at 77. While Newmanistan would hit a third three of the period, Banija clawed its way back via the charity stripe, hitting 3/4 free throws to tie the game at 80 and send it to a second overtime.

Lavaga had a situation on his hands. The legs of his starters starting to wear out. All had played heavy minutes. And although they got rest against Quebec, there was still some after-effects from the four overtime quarterfinal. But Newmanistan's frequent substitutions were keeping the Rockets fresh. He ran with his lineup, but Saihou Uster picked up his fifth personal at the beginning of the second overtime period. So Ebrahima Faye, the hero of the Quarterfinal, came into the game. And the two teams battled. With one minute left, it was 86-85 in favor of the Banijans- just a one point game.

Ezekiel Bullo had the ball at the top of the key. He fed the ball into Nabongo at the post. Nabongo held the ball, and then squared up. With a hand in his face, he stepped back and faded away. The ball swished through the net, with about 40 seconds left. Banijan fans cheered and bit their nails. 88-85. Newmanistan raced down the floor, the Lions playing some fullcourt defense. Bartaba rebounded the ball with about 31 seconds left, and Lavaga used his last time out. He brought out a second substitution, bringing on Antouman Ceesay for Bartaba. Fair strategy- if Newmanistan would foul, Ceesay was a much better free throw shooter.

But the Rockets did not. They simply let things play out. Akabueze dribbled up top, and then gave the ball to Ezekiel Bullo. Bullo, after a screen went to the rim. Storm stepped out in front of him, and Bullo, brilliantly, spun right by him and laid the ball in. 90-85, 10 seconds left. The Rockets raced down the floor, with Dwayne Murray bombing away desperately, but missing. Ceesay got the rebound and was fouled with 3 seconds left. Everyone in the building knew what would happen then, and Banijan fans rose to their feet. The bench got excited. Ceesay hit the first free throw, but missed the second. The Rockets got the rebound and heaved one down the floor, that did not go in.

The game over, Banija's players poured onto the court. The pain of past finals lost- IBC XXIX, the Olympics, the last Commonwealth Games- all excised. Coach Lavaga said it best. "NOW we can celebrate!" He exclaimed. "We've made that leap. We've been hovering on the edge of good and great for a long time- but this time around, we finally vaulted from great to elite. This was our goal. A validation of everything we've worked for. A big thanks to the fans, to those who have followed us at home, via the radio and TV, but especially our fans who flew out here to North Rushmore to watch us this tournament. What a year, what a country, what a tournament. It feels great!"

And he went to join the celebrations. 14-0. Unblemished record. And trophy-holders. And one more stake in the ground as this nation chases down Cassadaigua's grand slam.