Professional Football League (PFL) of Eboria
The PFL is returning thanks to the successful launch of Maximum Football 1.0 on PlayStation 5 and the ability to upload images on steam from a PC. All Twenty teams, including new members Annapolis Oilers and Pottsburgh Cardinals will start the 18 game road to the playoff!
PBA- Play-off Finals | Chakota Tigers
The Chakota Tigers beat the New Chester Kings three games to two to regain the PBA Championship after a 15 year drought.
Facing the formidable American paring of AJ Malone and Omar Jackson, the Tigers’ bench came through in games 2 and 5. Wes Justice, Tyler Wallace and Bobby Green led the Chakota team strongly, with back up from Boucher, Robinson and Ozman.
There was a fear that the Tigers would for a third time in the last decade blow a 2-0 lead in the finals. Winning their first two games at home, really put the pressure on AJ and Omar and the multiple-time Champion Kings. They stepped up and won games 3 and four to bring it to the Game 5 decider at Chakota.
Game 5 was a back and forth for the whole game. The Kings were leading with 02:14 remaining, before the Tigers went on a 10-3 run. The Kings have been to the last three Finals series, winning only one.
Game 1: Chakota Tigers 85- 77 NC Kings
Game 2: Chakota Tigers 99- 92 NC Kings
Game 3: NC Kings 101- 86 Chakota Tigers
Game 4: NC Kings 92-84 Chakota Tigers
Game 5: Chakota Tigers 96- 91 NC Kings
PBA Cornell Cup Finals
The Oakland Owls, led by Eric Daley, won the five game series against the defending Champions New Chester Kings, winning game 5 106-97.
The Kings had two strong American players up front- with AJ Malone and Omar Jackson both scoring 22-plus points per game during the season. Jackson averaged 31 in the playoffs.
The Owls had jumped out to a 2-0 lead at home with 99-91 and 121-120 (after OT) wins. Game two was decided with 0.5 second remaining in the extra period, when Daley struck from outside the perimeter.
Not to be outdone, the Kings came back strong in front of their home fans. They won game 3 100-91 and then game 4 124-99, with Jackson amassing 38 points and Malone 24.
With the series tied at 2-2, it came down to the number 1 seed’s home advantage for game 5. The Owls led for most of the game, but the Kings were always in contention. The game was ties seven times in the final period. Jackson scored 35 points and Malone had 25 points for the visitors. Daley and Seth Baker topped the Owls lineups with 25 and 21 points respectively.
This was one of the best series’ that fans in Eboria have gotten to behold in the homeland. The drama was tense and atmosphere electric throughout. Both teams will be expecting to be facing off again next season. But of course, there’s a lot of basketball to be played before then.
Crystal Bowl 53 | Bristol Bulldogs vs Hallas Stars | Sunday 5th March 2023
This year’s Crystal Bowl could be the second time lucky for Hallas, losers of last year’s finale to the 96ers.
In their way are the 15-3 Bristol Bulldogs. The Dogs had the best record and looked the strongest and most balanced team throughout the campaign. Their Offence is run by QB Brad Robinson, who has come a little out of his shell these past two years and is considered more than a game manager. Receivers Edgerious Jones and Dennis Morales are quick and deadly threats, whilst Running Backs Lamar Hall and Angelo Elliot are a perfect match in the backfield.
The Stars have Chase Hand at the helm with great targets , veteran Amani Sanders, Kobe Snider, Kevin Grandmont and super-veteran Anchor (TE) Bob Lloyd. They added youth to the running game with Antonio Smith. Defensively, the Stars have a good front seven and superstar secondary. The Bulldogs are no slouches defensively either.
As with most of these games, the cliche of it being won in the trenches between the lines seems very relevant.
We’re looking forward to seeing the two teams collide on Sunday 5th.
CrystalBowl 52 | Trojan Field, Rochester
The Landor 96ers took the Crystal Bowl trophy back to the capital for the second time in five years, following a 30-20 victory over the Hallas Stars in Rochester, Alberta.
| CB52 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | FT |
| LANDOR 96ERS | 7 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 30 |
| HALLAS STARS | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
Scoring:
1st Quarter
LAN Brown 11 pass from Sierra (Gold kick) ; 7-0
HAL Jones 37 yard FG; 7-3
2nd Quarter
LAN Gold 25 yard FG; 10-3
HAL Grandmont 7 pass from Hand; 10-10
3rd Quarter
LAN Gold 33 yard FG; 13-10
HAL Jones 42 yard FG; 13-13
LAN Gold 24 yard FG; 16-13
4th Quarter
LAN Brown 66 pass from Sierra (Gold kick); 23-13
HAL Grandmont 13 pass from Hand (kick); 23-20
LAN Chapman 7 run (Gold kick); 30-20
Missed FG- Derek Jones 52 Yards (Hallas)
The game was tied at 10 at halftime, and it was 16-13 going into the final period. The 96ers edged away in the fourth quarter. Both Quarterbacks threw for over 300 yards- 96ers Kurt Sierra (313, 2TD, 1INT), Stars Chase Hand (323, 2TD, 2 INT).
The game was somewhat defensive from the get-go. The 96ers pass rush, led by Edge rusher par excellence Vin Marshall (18 QB Marks or Sacks in 16 games in the regular season) bagged two more tonight to give him a running total of 23 in all games in 21-22! The Stars had Monty Jones, no slouch himself, bolstering their line. The Sixers scored first following a wide-open Asante Brown endzone grab, whilst the Stars could just manage a field goal. In the 2nd quarter, Kevin Grandmont pulled one in from Chase Hand to level it up at 10 apiece.
The third quarter was messy, with both teams settling for field goals, meaning it all cam down to the final fifteen minutes. Asante Brown was wide open for a 66 yard touchdown catch to make it 23-13 Landor. The Stars marched back down the field and pulled within three when Grandmont made another good catch in the end zone. At 23-20, the 96ers were running a designed clock-eating drive, which nearly stalled. On third-and-11, Brown was again able to get open and keep the drive alive. Three plays later, Andre Chapman waltzed in from 7 yards out to seal the deal for the men from the capital.
Veterans Ray Madison, Sierra and Julius Patterson may all have just played their final games in the PFL, what a way to go out on- on top!
The Eborian Wrestling Journal, part of the USN group, reviews two more MuscleMania 30 matches
Eborian Wrestling Journal staff review the main event of night one of MuscleMania.
NUSA | University Basketball Tournament Final Four
The semi-finals and Final of the NUSA National Championship Basketball Tournament took place this weekend, with the semi-finals of the men’s tournament on Saturday and the Final on Monday night (Women’s semi-finals Friday night and final on Sunday).
Semi-final 1: #7 Granada 88-85 #3 Eregonia
The Granada Bulldogs pulled off the upset as they beat the Eregonia Dragons in the first final-four game. It was a close encounter throughout, with the lead changing hands every 20-60 seconds it seemed. Jay Whitmore, who had been outstanding in the quarter-final, was again dominating the boards and racked up the points. The Granada Bulldogs would not let up, though. SG Kevin Ford nailed a hat-trick of threes and was on fire throughout.
The Dragons still entered the fourth quarter with a six-point lead, but the Bulldogs took control and led with seconds remaining from another Kevin Ford three-pointer. A game-tying three from Sammy Jones bounced around the rim and then off onto the floor. The Bulldogs had once again pulled off the shock and were in the final for the first time in 40 years.
Semi-final 2: #8 BSU 89-71 #4 New Chester
The second game was not so close. Eric Daley and the BSU Bosshogs dominated the game from the get-go. The Titans had only 9 points in the first quarter, the ‘Hogs had a big lead. Had the stature of the show got to the Titans? was it big-game nerves? We don’t know, as the Bosshogs really played outstanding basketball on both sides of the ball.
BSU rolled through the second-half, resting stars and still winning by 29 points, 89-61. The Titans did not look like the same team from a week ago, when they beat the Amorgan Irish. Funny game, basketball!
THE FINAL: #8 BSU 88-81 #7GRANADA
The Bosshogs downed the Bulldogs in a great contest at the National Arena in Landor, New London. This site, the perennial hosts of the competition has seen some fine basketball over the years. This was a worthy final, even if the game was not as close as some would have liked- the Dogs trailed by 11 points going into the final period. This was the first time that seeds #7 and #8 had met in the final four.
Eric Daley scored 21 points, with Cartwright getting 15 and Reeves 14 for the ‘Hogs. Cartwright also got 11 rebounds and Hunter got nine.
The Bulldogs’ leaders were Kevin Ford (18 points) and Sean Miller (12). Joe Allen (11) and Zack Boyd (8) were the leading rebounders.
BSU won their fourth NUSA Men’s National Basketball championship, their first of this millennium. Will Eric Daley come back for his senior year and try to repeat? Or is he PBA (or a higher-level league) bound? We will find out over the next few months.
The Women’s final four concluded with the USG Saints defeating O’Connell 68-64 on Sunday, following O’Connell beating Clementine 69-60 and USG besting Ballymore 71-57 on Friday night.
Another great tournament from the NUSA, another great season of basketball on USN.
NUSA | University Basketball Tournament
A weekend of brilliant University Basketball was experienced this weekend, with three big casualties caused by terrific defence and organisation of the opponents. For the first time in ten years, no representative from the state of Madison will be in the final four. Madison State (MDSU) lost to Bristol State University (BSU) in a rematch of last year’s final 83-75, with BSU’s Eric Daley topping the scoring with 21 points. Madison State were up after three quarters, 58-55.
The Madison Bulldogs lost to the Eregonia Dragons 74-71 in a mild shock. The Dragons, led by the excellent Jay Whitmore (and 28 points) out-hustled the Bulldogs in a close match-up. For three quarters, this was a game for fans of defensive basketball.
The other Bulldogs, from Granada (who normally excel in football or soccer), ousted the number two seeds USG, from Saint George.
In the #4 vs#5 matchup. The Titans from New Chester bested the Amorgan Irish in a close, defensive encounter, 68-64.
The Titans will play the BSU Bosshogs in the second semi-final this coming Saturday night. The Granada Bulldogs will take on the Eregonia Dragons beforehand.
This final four weekend is slightly unexpected, with the Madison schools making 13 appearances in the last nine final-four (State 7, Madison 6), not having one there is a weird feeling. It is great for the other schools to really showcase what they have. New names will come forward, outside of the Madison basketball factories.
The final is on Monday night.
NUSA | University Basketball Tournament
The NUSA University Basketball tournament reaches the quarter-final stages in the so-called ‘great eight’ stage this weekend. Following the first two rounds, there were a few shock exits- Adelphia and Alberta, of the SAC went out in the first round, whilst usual big-guns O’Connell and Wichagon went out in the super sixteen phase.
G-12 champions Madison State have won the last two tournaments and are actully 18-0 in the last three seasons of post-season play. Madison State beat Madison in the 2019 final and Bristol State University (BSU) in last year’s final. They will play BSU in the final quarter-final tie, in what should be a cracking game.
The Granada Bulldogs have been a surprise this season, being runners-up in the SAC and getting to the last eight. They are aiming for their first final four appearance in 33 years! Standing in their way are the number two ranked USG Saints, who have six championships and 18 final four appearances to their name. It will be a tough task.
Elsewhere, The Eregonia Dragons vs Madison Bulldogs and New Chester Titans and the Amorgan Irish are expected matchups for this stage of the tournament. All four teams will be good fits for the final four weekend.
The BEC – Basketball Executive Committee re-seed the teams after the first two rounds, leaving the great eight/ final four schedule as follows:
Quarter-finals:
#1 Madison State University vs #8 BSU
#2 Saint George (USG) vs #7 Granada
#3 Eregonia vs #6 Madison
#4 New Chester (UNC) vs #5 Amorgan
Final Four set-up:
#1/#8 vs #4/#5
#2/#7 vs #3/#6
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