With Playoffs Approaching, Power Rankings this week will be of the teams capable of making the playoffs.
1. Dreamers (7-2): Swarm, Cream City, Wolfpack.. you can say what you want about wanting to be #1, but Dreamers took down the defending champions in Drip City.. enough said. Ravi Sharma quoted, "We proved that we're capable of beating anybody. Our team was clicking on all cylinders, and we gotta use this momentum to propel us into the postseason." This statement is nothing short of the truth, and Drip City learned it the hard way, as they blew a 15-point lead and lost their rhythm. MVP candidate, Shadan Amini, put on another show as he delivered 33 points with 8 rebounds, and Drip City had no answer for him. He's that guy. It doesn't end there; All-Star Ravi Sharma had the best game of the season as he scored 28 points and showed why he was the 3PT champion at All-Star Weekend. His backcourt mate, Sulaiman Asif, also knocked down some crucial 3s. Adil Uddin suffered an injury early in the game but fought and came back to bring defensive intensity along with Muneeb Moulvi towards the end of the game. It helped, as they weren't giving anything easy. Hammoud displayed the definition of hustle, and this essential contribution helped his team take the upper edge. It seems like Dreamers took advantage of being Drip City's first challenge; it woke them up. However, this team isn't slowing down until they capture that championship.
One thing is for sure, Dreamers vs. Drip City is the playoff rivalry everyone wants to see, but it's clear Dreamers isn't worried too much about it. Let the fun begin.
2. Swarm (7-2): Yes, you read 28 rebounds in Week 8, and yes, you read 30 points and 22 rebounds in Week 9. What can be said MVP candidate, Arhum "AIRhum" Ali, is dominating D3. As Kobe Bryant once quoted, "I wanted to destroy everyone that got in my way, and if you were one of them, you were just unlucky because you were getting ran over." How fitting, because that's Arhum's idol, and that's exactly what he's doing. He's on a mission for the championship and nothing less, and Swarm is right there with him. Their game against Prospects was so one-sided it reminded me of their game against Hooks Aur Chai. Not only did Arhum put up these numbers, his brother and DPOY candidate Saim Ali almost had a triple-double with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 STEALS! Furthermore, All-Star Jake Farnsworth, returning from injury, delivered 13 points with multiple 3-Pointers. You're blowing out teams when you've got your stars playing this way. Coach Idraq Ahmed has his squad motivated, and they are flourishing. They've even got a veteran presence with Shakil Syed, who is having a great season on both ends, hyping them up before the games. Talk about chemistry. I wouldn't want to see them in the first round because if you come unprepared, you'll see Arhum Ali dunking on you or Saim Ali locking your best player up.
Swarm has momentum going for them, leading to the regular season finale, a matchup with the defending champs, and I know Arhum vs Sabeel will be one for the MBL books. So we need the stands filled for this one in Week 11!
3. Cream City (8-1): Don't get me wrong, this team deserves the #1 spot they hold in the season standings. However, I love getting them riled up by underachieving their performances, so here I go again. The last time I did this, Cereal Killers paid the price (sorry, guys). Let's begin; this team is on fire! Their MVP candidate Ayman Abdelaaty is proving to be the best of the big men in D3 with his performance this season; he's a big man that runs the floor; what more can you ask, as he is averaging 15 points and 15 rebounds with a solid 2.2 assists per game. Those are elite numbers, and his teammates have played alongside him very well. Alongside Ayman, you've got All-Stars Ahmed Abdelhady and Mohammed Kazzaz, two players who immediately impact the offensive end. Not just that, they have their sleeper in Wisam Ablouj, who dropped 25 points in their win against Love Wins. You can't deny it, they are capable of winning, and their 8-1 record speaks to it. Their only loss was to the team ranked above them, Swarm, and I know they want that game back. However, Cream City knows about their potential as much as I do; I can't forget Ahmed Abdelhady quoting, "I'm not worried about the other D3 teams." I don't know about you, but I'm excited to see this team in the playoffs because they have the most energy and will make teams bring their best to come close to winning against them.
4. Drip City (7-2): Well.. well.. well… seems like you guys are human after all! I hear that Drip City lost their first game in a while where they were "actually trying." That's quite the achievement for Dreamers. To start, Drip City had this game in their favor. However, they could not keep composed and saw their 15-point lead go down in shambles. Sabeel, Sohaym, and Sameer each tallied over 15 points, and they all played the style were used to seeing from them. This loss woke them up and made them realize that the competition in D3 is legit. I love that the 2-time defending champs have some competition now because they've been waiting for it. I passed by MVP candidate Sabeel Khan, and the look in his eyes was a fire I hadn't seen in him before. So I think it's safe to say D3 is in for a treat as Sabeel and his brothers want to avenge this tough loss, and take down anyone that comes across them. Not only that, Drip City wants to remind the league they are champions for a reason, and I'm excited to see this next chapter from them. So don't let this loss fool you; they'll be back, and I know Sabeel's going to reach a new height we haven't seen, so stay tuned!
As mentioned, Drip City's regular-season finale in Week 11 will be a movie, as the battle of the MVPs in Arhum and Sabeel will be a marquee game, and this loss will only make them more ready for it.
5. Wolfpack (7-2): I've got to admit, I haven't watched as fundamental of a game in a while until AK Trey and Wolfpack faced off this past weekend. This game went back and forth, and both teams wanted it badly. Feroze Oomergee was running the floor, picking up multiple steals and scoring 19 points, while Taha Ahmed had a strong 10 points and 4 rebounds. Sameer Molvi also collected 13 rebounds, and Wolfpack had an overall balanced effort in this game, and it's how they've thrived this season. This game was no different.. however, they lost.. but only by one point. This is their second loss this season; both were last second and within 2 points. It sounds very similar to Dreamers' situation this season.. what a coincidence.
This was a tough loss for Wolfpack, but it's clear that they will be a tough team to beat if their core is thriving in a balanced manner. So come playoffs, that's the type of basketball that will get you wins, especially in a three-game series. Stay on the lookout for this team; they will bring their energy on any night.
6. AK Trey (6-3): This past Sunday, I saw what looked like the AK Trey that won multiple championships. Although they only beat Wolfpack by one, it's still a massive win against one of the top teams in D3. It all started with the final of the MVP candidates, Arshad Dadabhoy, as he put up 15 points, with 9 rebounds and 2 steals. This is a solid stat line, especially in a game that was back and forth the entire way through. At Arshad's aid was Zo, as he pulled down 6 rebounds but also contributed with 2 blocks. Last but not least, Tahir Zaveri hit three 3-pointers, and this entire effort collectively helped AK Trey keep up with another fundamentally balanced team in Wolfpack and beat them. This is an excellent sign for this team, as they've had some obstacles this season. With playoffs approaching, a win like this is crucial for their preparedness.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season goes for AK Trey, as they are built to handle the best of three scenarios that playoffs bring. They also tend to play their best in the postseason.
7. Cereal Killers (5-4): Before I start, I wanted to say Congratulations to Alfraz Haquani on the birth of his son, Ammar. MashAllah!
The birth of Alfraz's child should inspire this team now, hopefully…
Regarding the representatives of the Corona community, this team has had one of the biggest up-down seasons I've ever seen. They seem to carry momentum for one stretch but lose it almost instantly. Umar Khalid is averaging a steady 15 points, while Aasim is around the double-double mark. However, they’ve lost very winnable games. As leaders, both Umar and Aasim need to address and face accountability because this team has done too well in the past to let it slip this way. Zeeshan Haquani has done a great job creating floor spacing by moving without the ball, and Ramiz Khan needs to take an example by slashing and playing aggressively inside.
Furthermore, Umer Khan needs to make himself available and known on the offensive end as much as he is defensively. There is tremendous talent on this team, and they win when they work as a unit. Erick Richardson now leads the league in assists, and this generates from Cereal Killers when they play collectively.
8. 2Nyce (4-5): I love the resilience of this team, they've been counted out by multiple (myself included), and here they are positioning themselves for playoffs. I know Ibrahim Ellahi to say he hates losing, and although there have been some mishaps, he, alongside 2Nyce, has stepped it up with the help of Asif Qureshi, Imran Makki, and Ateek Shaikh. I've still yet to see the inside beast I know Ahmed Ayub to be, and I firmly believe this is a difference maker for this team because the inside game is a significant factor in D3 that makes or breaks a team. I see this team making it to the playoffs, but for them to thoroughly compete, they'll need all cylinders clicking, and they'll need Ahmed to play big, whether that is by grabbing rebounds or scoring inside. All in all, the defense of this team is not one to sleep on, and if they make it to the postseason, teams better have the ball on a string because Ibrahim and Ateek will go for that steal at any given opportunity. Good on you guys; you stepped it up when it mattered.
9. Love Wins (4-5): Ali Kassamali is a fun point guard to watch, and paired with Junaid Zaveri, you've got a potent duo. However, their team has been subpar due to injuries, and the competition of D3 is elevated to the point where these two won't be able to carry them to wins simply. However, they'd made the best of the situation as they are under the .500 mark. Their road to the playoffs isn't easy, as they have Cereal Killers and AK Trey left in the regular season. They'll need to win both of these games to be in consideration, so I would expect Ali and Junaid to play their hardest to get their team a win.
10. Black Mambas (4-5): I don't think I've seen as low of an IQ at the end of the game as I did with Black Mambas this past weekend. They had a double-digit lead with three minutes left against Hooks Aur Chai, a team that wasn't expected to win a game this season, and they collapsed. Musaddiq Latif ate their defense, and there was no adjustment made. They lost to the same reasoning that's troubled them all season, the need for a highlight play. When all that was needed was to hold the ball and let time run out, this team kept firing foul shots and, in the end, questioned why they lost this game. This game cost this team tremendously in their playoff chase, and astonishingly, the simple strategy of holding the ball at the end of the game would've made this a different discussion. Nonetheless, they face off against Swarm this weekend, and all I can say is best of luck!
Honorable Mention: Musaddiq Latif.. It's about time. This man showed he's still a talent as he single handily walked over Black Mambas with 32 points and 12 rebounds. He had a well-deserved player of the week performance and looked better than his prime self. Another note is he led Hooks Aur Chai to what will probably be their only win this season. Teams next season should be looking for this guy because he will give any defense trouble.