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KEY PLAYERS M. Lee 12.6 ppg .465 FG% 1.2 rpg 1.5 apg 1.2 spg A. Fisher 11.2 ppg 8.2 rpg 1.3 apg 1.8 spg 0.3 bpg

ANALYSIS: It's no secret AOD matches up well with the DB Connex, both bring a lot of bruisers and both like slow it down and make it a battle of attrition. In fact, AOD might be the only team that seems to look forward to a battle in the trenches with (F) Tony Hu and (C) Bryant Picone. But, it will be one of DBC's finesse players, (F) Jin Hong, that the Connex will miss the most as he returns to the College of St. Rose, particularly his athleticism and ability to finish and defend in transition.

DBC is a team that likes to play deliberately. They have great speed at the guards but rarely get out in transition. That's just fine for AOD, who will try to work the half-court as well. Returning (G) Jon Scheiman to the line-up is huge. His ability to set the table, not only for sharpshooter (G) Usama Nausrudeen, who is still questionable, but for everyone on the roster is key to this team's success. As is Fisher's aggressiveness on offense and late addition (F) Lamar Smith, a player captain (C) Len Kamdang deems the league's best defender.  -- The Jet

DB Connections	GR	GR	Audacity of Dope	Advantage
(G) Ace Watana UCONN 5-9, 160 lbs	B	B+	(G) Jon Scheiman St. John's 6-2, 185 lbs	The two players with the richest pedigrees, the return of both of these respective PGs to their teams is huge but especially for AOD, who has missed their only real play-maker.
(G) Mark Lee 5-10, 175 lbs	B+	A	(G) U. Nausrudeen York College 5-11, 165 lbs	Lee has been a solid scoring threat for DBC this season and should continue to do so. Nausrudeen hasn't played a game since Wk 4 due to injury. Will he be back in time?
(F) Chris Youn 6-1, 215 lbs	B+	B+	(F) Lamar Smith NC Central 6-2, 200 lbs	Youn has been solid for DBC all season and brings a versatile game along with a deadly corner 3FG. Smith is now being touted as a premiere defender. They're not wrong.
(F) Tony Hu 6-3, 225 lbs	A	A	(F) Aaron Fisher 6-3, 190 lbs	Hu has been DBC's go-to when they need buckets in the half-court. Fisher will make it tough. It almost looks like he relishes these match-ups with Hu, their third this season.
(C) Bryant Picone 6-6, 230 lbs	A	B	(C) Len Kamdang 6-3, 250 lbs	With (F) Jin Hong out, Picone will defend the paint and he's no slouch, the defending Def MVP. Kamdang will bring his versatile game and hope to pull Picone out of the paint.
BENCH (G) Mike Kim (G) Dan Kim (F) Stan Grayson	A	B	BENCH (G) Byron Goldstein (G) Shane Neufeld (C) Josh Ellison	Kim and Grayson could be starting for any team in the league. Kim brings speed and Grayson a versatile big, both dimensions that will make DBC very tough. AOD's bench is blue-collar and will go all out.

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KEY PLAYERS N. Echev. 18.8 ppg 6.3 rpg 5.2 apg 1.3 spg C. Beach 14.3 ppg 7.9 rpg 2.3 apg 1.6 spg

ANALYSIS: Rumor has it that (F) Nic Echevestre might be out of the line up with a sore back. If ever there was a chance for the Asphalt Ninjas to steal this one, this is it The Ninjas barely escaped their first match-up despite holding a 20+ pt lead through the 1st half. And, the Fury played without Echevestre, (C) Ezra Hoover or (G) Joe Kim. Still, ASN was solid vs. a MonStars team and an all-world effort from (C) Nick Harrington (36 pts, 11 rebs). ASN (F) Brian Villy "Wojo" Womack  (33 pts, 12 rebs) put up his own off the chart numbers in one of the all-time FBNYC games.

X-FACTOR: In their first game (F) Carlito Beach was able to create off the dribble as NYF struggled with his size and versatility. With their full roster, NYF will be able to shift their best defender (F) Varun Manocha over. For ASN, it's depends whether "Playoff Rommel" has arrived yet. (G) Rommel Dolar is a different beast in the post-season.  -- The Jet

NYC Fury	GR	GR	Asphalt Ninjas	Advantage
(G) Jake Choi Yonsei University 5-11, 165 lbs	A	B+	(G) Rommel Dolar Baruch College 5-8, 150 lbs	Choi is NYF's best 1-on-1 player but tends to freelance at times. Still, when he's on, he's tough to stop. Dolar hasn't had a strong reg. season but it's all about playoffs for him.
(G) Joe Kim 5-11, 175 lbs	A	B-	(G) Andy Singleton 6-0, 195 lbs	A former MVP and Def MVP, Kim has been key to the Fury success while rarely scoring. Singleton is a shooter who's had his ups and downs but can also contribute other ways.
(G) Nic Echevestre UC Santa Cruz 6-4, 195 lbs	A+	A	(G) Carlito Beach 6-2, 225 lbs	Wong is always capable of putting up big digits in scoring, you can't sleep on him. Cho is past his hot streak earlier in the season but is still more than capable of getting it going again.
(F) Vick Manocha Cooper Union 6-4, 215 lbs	B+	A+	(F) Brian Womack 6-3, 190 lbs	Manocha gives NYF a deep threat and their most versatile defender, as does Womack for ASN but to a level perhaps only he could have predicted until last week.
(C) Ezra Hoover 6-5, 190 lbs	B+	B	(C) Danny Manning 6-5, 260 lbs	If Hoover can stay mobile and get out on the break, he can find success against ASN's very large front-court. Manning is very big and if he's in position, there's no moving him.
BENCH (G) Ren Hsieh (G) G. James (C) Mo Ghumman	A	A	BENCH (G) Wilson Lew (G) Tyquawn Goode (F) Joel Capili (C) Shion Campbell (C) Brian Nilsen	The Fury don't have a deep bench but every player coming off could be starting for any other team. James typically finishes games while Hsieh has made the biggest sacrifice in time. The Ninjas bench is deep with guys who can make an impact.