VBL CUP WEEK 3
By Dakota Gray
JULY 12
After two straight weeks of Timeless sitting atop the Venice Basketball League, Week 3 delivered a reminder that nothing lasts forever on the beach.
Another packed crowd gathered courtside as eight teams battled through the VBL Cup bracket, producing another day of must see action. By the end of the afternoon, a new team stood at the top as LA in a Min knocked off the two-time defending champions to capture the Week 3 VBL Cup.
Here's how it all went down in Venice:
NCAA Boyz vs. IKARO
IKARO punched the first ticket to the semifinals with a convincing 24-15 victory over NCAA Boyz behind another standout performance from Dylan, better known around Venice as "Lil Baby Face."
One of the quickest guards in the tournament, Dylan repeatedly blew past defenders, slicing through the lane for easy finishes before the defense had time to react. Every possession seemed to end with him attacking the rim at full speed, forcing NCAA Boyz to play on their heels all game long.
With the game on the line, Dylan put the finishing touches on his performance by cashing in the game-winning Iso Card, sending IKARO comfortably into the next round.
Cough Syrup vs. Timeless
The two-time defending champions continued to look every bit the part, rolling past Cough Syrup 24-15.
Timeless cruised into the semifinals, but one of the biggest moments belonged to Cough Syrup team owner Desto Dubb, who suited up and contributed with a put-back layup before following it up with a perfectly timed assist.
LA in a Min vs. Woodies
If there was one team firing on all cylinders offensively right out of the gate, it was LA in a Min.
They caught fire from beyond the arc early, burying three-pointer after three-pointer to overwhelm Woodies in a 20-14 victory.
Whenever Woodies looked ready to make a run, another outside shot seemed to fall.
The exclamation point came courtesy of Amos, who attacked the basket through contact before converting a game-winning and-one layup. The play sent teammates and spectators into celebration as LA in a Min carried plenty of momentum into the semifinals.
Mecca vs. GRG
The game of the day, and maybe even the game of the summer, belonged to Mecca and GRG.
In a thriller that went down to the final possession, Mecca escaped with a dramatic 24-22 victory after one of the wildest contests of the season.
Juice wasted no time announcing his presence, opening the game with a barrage of three-pointers that immediately electrified the Venice crowd. Every shot seemed destined for the bottom of the net as he caught fire from deep and kept Mecca's offense rolling.
Late in the game, the crowd got exactly what it wanted when AJ "The Chosen One" and Vic Costa squared off in an Iso Card battle.
What started as a physical battle quickly turned into pure chaos and then a literal wrestling match on the court before AJ eventually missed a tough layup over Costa. Luckily for Mecca, Trey Savage was waiting and soared in for a thunderous put-back dunk to end the game, bringing one of the loudest reactions of the afternoon.
Semifinal 1: IKARO vs. Timeless
IKARO entered the semifinals as one of the day's surprise stories, but taking down the defending champions proved to be one challenge too many.
Despite being a rag-tag group, IKARO battled possession for possession and never backed down, pushing Timeless to the limit in a tightly contested game.
In the end, Timeless' experience, depth and chemistry proved to be the difference as the defending champions escaped with a hard-earned 17-14 victory to reach their third consecutive VBL Cup Final.
Semifinal 2: LA in a Min vs. Mecca
LA in a Min continued its offensive explosion, defeating Mecca 24-18 to punch its ticket to the championship.
The story of the game was Bernard, who turned in an MVP-caliber performance. Time after time he connected from beyond the arc, catching fire during a scoring run that completely shifted the game in LA in a Min's favor.
Mecca's hopes took another major hit when AJ "The Chosen One" fouled out, leaving one of the tournament's biggest stars watching from the sideline during the closing moments. From there, LA in a Min never looked back.
Championship: Timeless vs. LA in a Min
Every great reign comes to an end.
After winning the first two VBL Cups of the summer, Timeless entered the championship on Sunday looking for a third consecutive title and a definitive claim to best team in Venice. Instead, it was LA in a Min that delivered the statement performance of the season.
They jumped out to an early lead and never surrendered control, defeating Timeless 24-13 to capture the Week 3 VBL Cup in dominant fashion.
Even after Timeless called a timeout in an attempt to regroup, LA in a Min only continued to heat up. Three-pointers rained in from every area of the court as the offense reached another level.
Then came the play everyone will remember.
Buddha brought the crowd to its feet with a spectacular alley-oop sit-down dunk that instantly became one of the signature highlights of the summer and completely shifted the energy around the court.
Moments later, Mark Chin calmly floated home the championship-clinching basket, ending Timeless' two-week reign and crowning LA in a Min as the new kings of the Venice Beach blacktop.
International Showcase Games
Once the VBL Cup concluded, there was still great basketball to be seen at Venice beach.
The spotlight shifted to the league's international showcase games, highlighting the next generation of talent from around the world.
The first showcase featured Mexico and France's girls squads, with both teams displaying impressive skill, ball movement and competitive spirit while representing their countries on one of basketball's most iconic outdoor courts.
The second showcase expanded the international flavor even further as Mexico, France and Japan shared the floor in a three-team exhibition. These games brought together young talent from across the globe to compete on one of basketball's most iconic courts.
While the VBL Cup crowned a new champion, the international showcases closed out another unforgettable Sunday by showing that basketball remains a universal language, no matter where you're from.