With the help of an unlikely hero, the Spartans left their very own
G.B. Hodge Center with the first ever ECBA Championship.
Elite College Basketball Association... that's what ECBA stands for. Season one may be remembered by many as a league full of inactive misfits whose failure to remain consistent with the "flow of things" somewhat negated the commissioner's around the clock work to make sure the league ran smoothly. In spite of all the inactive players, the championship game took place regardless.
Although they were in the championship game, Gonzaga had posted the worst free throw percentage in the ECBA... barely hovering over 65% as the championship game began. With Upstate up 7-0 early, Gonzaga's Austin Daye missed two foul shots, and the Spartans hurried down the floor for a quick three. If the first four minutes was any indication of how the game would play out, we never would have had one of the most dramatic finishes of the season.
Once Gonzaga pulled even with jus.t over four minutes remaining in the first half, SC Upstate freshman Josh Chavis knocked down three consecutive three pointers. Chavis had averaged less than four minutes per game prior to the title game. With the momentum, Upstate carried a 20-17 lead into the final ten minutes of the ECBA season.
Despite taking the lead with under three minutes left, the Bulldogs collapsed defensively and fell behind by seven to the top seed. After a slight comeback, Gonzaga trailed 44-42 with only ten seconds remaining. In a wise strategy, VandyRedskins resisted the urge to pressure the 'Zags with a full court press and instead picked up injured point guard Jeremy Pargo once he crossed mid-court. USC Upstate played great defense on the dribble handoff that ensued and forced Austin Daye to rush a 25 footer that came up just short. After two free throws, the celebration began. The University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs by a final score of 46-42 to capture the inaugural ECBA championship.
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For the record the only reason that Chavis averaged 4 mins was because of the games simmed due to the inactive teams. He really averaged about 10 during the games that were played. Either way it was a helluva championship!
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