*: Clinched Playoffs
1. Swarm (8-2)* - After Week 10, Arhum Ali attained his eighth Player of the Week Award this season. He put up 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 steals in their win against Black Mambas. He's an MVP candidate for a reason, and his team has thrived due to his excellence. He is averaging 22 points, 17 rebounds, and 2 steals for the season, and after Week 11 concludes, I would say we will most likely be seeing Arhum Ali as the MBL Most Valuable Player for the 2022 Summer Season. Alongside Arhum comes his brothers, Saim Ali and Aashir Ali, leading categories in their ways. Saim is currently the steals leader in D3, while Aashir is on top of the assists leaderboard. One can say that Swarm is a one-person show, but that is not the case. Throughout this ranking, I've yet to mention their X-Factor, Jake Farnsworth, averaging 13 points and making himself available as an asset on both the offensive and defensive end. You can't forget about Yaseen Rasheed, a spot-on three-point shooter you wouldn't want to leave open. Finally, this team is surrounded by veteran leadership in Ali Mir and Shakil Syed, who both are there to hold their team together and remind them of ways to better themselves on the court. Finally, with Week 11 approaching, we are presented with a potential finals matchup, Swarm vs. Drip City. The matchup that has been talked about all season.
I expect to see the stands filled for this one, and the energy at an all-time high, because the two MVP candidates, Arhum Ali and Sabeel Khan, will put on a show.
2. Drip City (8-2)* - As I mentioned last week, Sabeel Khan was out for vengeance following Drip City's loss to Dreamers. He returned and delivered on 30 points and left the game with the momentum he wanted, leading to the matchup against Arhum and Drip City. What an impressive season for this one; he's improved thoroughly as he's played in MBL, and with averages of 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, he's deserved to be in the MVP conversation this season. Sabeel quoted, "Losing is exciting. It means there are ways to get better. Certain weaknesses were exposed that we can fix and get an advantage". This kid has a lot of "Mamba" in it, and as a Kobe fan, I love to see that. He will need to bring that this weekend with his brothers Sohyamn and Sameer because if they start clicking like they've been all season, it will lead to trouble for Swarm. Their defense will also need to be at its best because Sabeel, Sohyamn, and Samy Ousman will not hesitate to go for the steal if the opportunity presents itself. Also, Sameer Khan will be someone you don't want to leave open because he is the best shooter of the three, and if he starts hitting, the lead will begin to strengthen for Drip City. I expect this to be the game of the season, and the energy will be high; let's see if the top two teams in D3 deliver on the show we want to see.
3. Wolfpack (8-2)*: This is a great way to bounce back after their loss to AK Trey, as everyone played their role to perfection in their victory against Main Event. To start, floor general Zain Razak made himself known on both ends, putting up 14 points with 4 assists while collecting 3 steals. This is the game you need from your point guard to have a good chance at spreading the floor. As this went on, Rizwan Shah delivered off the bench, scoring 20 points while collecting 9 rebounds, adding to his resume for a solid sixth man of the year candidate. Finally, Umair Shariff did what his team needed, as he dominated on the boards. He collected 17 rebounds and, with that, was a significant contribution to Wolfpack in their victory. As the playoffs approach, Wolfpack's seed positioning varies, but they have the confidence to welcome any challenge with open arms. I look forward to seeing this unit in action come playoffs because they are a troublesome team to handle once they start clicking, as they are the San Antonio Spurs of D3.
4. Dreamers (7-3)*: Dreamers held the first seed in these power rankings... for a week. They faced a challenge against a solid 2Nyce team this past weekend and ultimately lost the matchup. Although they didn't have Shadan Amini, Ravi Sharma made sure to step up as he scored 23 points and 7 rebounds. Even with his injury against Drip City, Adil Uddin was able to score 12 points. They needed the rest of the team to step up to capture this win. However, they couldn't do so. Captain Sulaiman Asif quoted following the game, "We weren't mentally prepared for this game. Coming off a huge win against one of the best teams in the league made us think we could win any game with little effort. Our defense was lacking, aside from Ravi Sharma, and so was our offense. Still, props to the 2Nyce squad for coming in focused, especially Imran Makki. We needed this loss to refocus and think on how we won games in the past and how we will continue to in the playoffs iA." As the focus, this well-said piece from Sulaiman is the most important thing for this team moving forward because they have one of the highest potential to win the championship this season. So a great wake-up call leading up to playoffs, I would say.
5. AK Trey (7-3)*: Arshad, Tahir, Edwin, you guys continue to prove me wrong in these rankings, and I love to see it. Taking down Cream City is a good accomplishment, even if it was by one. Alongside that, your defense was able to give one of the MVP candidates in Ayman Abdelaaty a tough night offensively. As I've said all season, this team is one of the most capable when working collectively, and this game was a prime example. Edwin Tolentino and Arshad Dadabhoy are arguably the best backcourt in D3, and they do a great job leading their team, no matter the score. Arshad Dadabhoy quoted, "We haven't had our full team for a game this season; the playoffs should be fun." He's not wrong, AK Trey has had trouble bringing their entire team together for games, but if they can bring a unit in the postseason, their longevity will speak for itself, as they are an excellent team in terms of getting everyone involved on both ends of the floor.
6. Cream City (8-2)*: When asked the reason for this loss, Cream City said, "We didn't have Kazzaz." Although Ahmed Abdelhady, Wisam Ablouj, and Ayman Abdelaaty were present, they could not find a consistent rhythm; AK Trey took advantage of that. They held Ayman to a nightmare of a shooting night and did not allow for Ahmed and Wisam to find comfort in their offense. Granted, Cream City did show up on the defensive end, and as a result, they kept AK Trey within reach but ultimately could not stop them as they lost by one point. Cream City faced its second loss this season. However, this loss was their wake-up call, as they had an unfortunate night from the offensive end. I assume they will make the proper adjustments and come back this weekend with a statement game. Mohammed Kazzaz left us with a quote leading to the postseason: "Excited for the playoffs, Sweet Creams." One thing is for sure; they like their chances against anyone in D3, leading to an animated series regardless of who they play.
7. Cereal Killers (6-4)*:
Let's talk about Ramiz Khan; I couldn't believe what I saw, but he was slashing and finishing at the rim, and it's about time. Cereal Killers needed this from him, as he started the game off with 11 points. So it's crazy how easy it is to score when you do the work, right, Ramiz? Alongside him came all-stars Aasim Akthar and Umar Khalid, both seeking a solid performance as the regular season ends. So they got it done, as Umar scored 16 points and Aasim delivered on a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. A robust set of performances for these two, as they led Cereal Killers to their win against Love Wins. This team has depth, as they have Zeeshan Haquani and Umer Khan fulfilling their roles as three and D players. Also, they have a strong player returning from injury, as Shah Memon will make his season debut this week after a long-awaited recovery period. What a time, especially before the playoffs begin, as Shah will add to this team's depth and toughness because he can score and play defense when needed. This team has gotten better defensively with Ramiz's confidence rising and Shah's return, which will greatly support Umer Khan's defensive intensity.
"Underrated is an Understatement "- Aasim Akhtar
8. 2Nyce (6-4)*: "We've made playoffs, and now it's a different ball game. We got too many weapons compared to most teams, and y'all don't want to see us in a three-game series". 2Nyce is confident, and rightfully so! They've found life, and they are flowing together as a team. Time does do wonders. Imran Makki, an MBL veteran and champion, was quiet for most of the season, and he's finally shown up. He scored 22 points in a win against Dreamers and showcased his ability to shoot, and 2Nyce couldn't be happier to see that. But, as they said, they have too many weapons, which is true because their flexibility allows for multiple forms of offense and various lines of defense. For example, Ateek Shaikh and Ibrahim Ellahi on the defensive end is a formidable wall for guards to get through, and Asif Qureshi, Imran Makki, Arsalan Rehman, and Ahmed Ayub can make their presence known down low. It will be a matter of if the teams can outwork them because 2Nyce will bring their total effort every night, and clinching the playoffs was only the beginning for them. Excited to see this team in the postseason!