On 21 July 2016, the Nets and Hawks met for their second game of the NOSBL XVI Western Division Finals.  The Hawks walked in with a 1 - 0 lead.  The Nets was in survivor mode.  That had to win or go home.

The starters for the Nets were:  #21 Keith LaFavor, #32 Willie Walker, #25 Trea Tells, #40 Willie Filmore, and #45 Lamont Shuford.

The starters for the NHA Hawks were:  #34 Ernest Adams, #11 Kenyatta Hardge, #24 Quentin Leonard, #0 Michael Smith, and #22 Kevin Douglas.

The Officials were Ice Elliott and Willie Smith.

We all knew this would be an exciting game because both teams have very competitive and talented players.  The Hawks won the tip-off and wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with 2-points from Ernest Adams.  The Nets was not about to play from behind and followed up with 2-points from Trea Tells.  Another 2-points were scored by the Hawks and the official lead was taken for the first half as the Hawks outscored the Nets 33 - 20.  Everybody that watched the 20-point game victory that the Hawks put on the Nets, during the first game, basically left the game.  The Hawks scored 15 points from behind the arc.  The Hawks were led by Kevin Douglas with 11 points, Quentin Leonard with 10 points, and Ernest Adams with 6 points.  No team used a timeout during the first half.  The Nets were led by Tony Reese with 8 points.

The second half started with the Nets putting serious pressure on the Hawks' offense.  Trea Tells was everywhere!!  His aggressiveness made everybody work harder.  The Nets outscored the Hawks 22 - 9 to tie the score at 42.  The Hawks would take another lead at 45 - just to be tied, again.  The Hawks took the lead, again, at 48.  With 1:09 remaining in the game, the scores were tied at 51 and the Hawks used a full timeout.  The Hawks close out the game with two lead changes, but they allowed the Nets to battle back to tie the score and even the game at 57 to run out the game clock.  Overtime!!  Her we go!! 

The fans were braced for five minutes of funk.  The Hawks did not want the embarrassing loss and the Nets did not want to go home.  Trea Tells opened the doors for the Nets with the game's first 2-points in overtime.  Willie Filmore stepped-up gigantically with tough defense on Kenyatta Hardge to prevent him from scoring down low.  Filmore made two tremendous stops!  The Hawks', Kevin Douglas, scored 2-points to tie the score at 59.  The Nets came back and fouled Kevin Douglas - sending him to the free throw line for two shots.  He made both free throws to put the Hawks up 61 - 59.  Then the "Willie Walker Factor" kicked in and the Nets were on the hunt.  Walker scored two points and was later sent to the foul line to close the game with two free throws to take the lead and win 63 - 61.

Some of the fans, that left the game early, contacted me and were surprised to learn that the Nets survived and won.  Great fight, Nets!!!

The scorers for the Nets were: #32 Willie Walker with 19 points, #45 Lamont Shuford with 15 points, #9 Tony Reese with 11 points, #21 Keith LaFavor with 6 points, #25 Trea Tells with 6 points, and #48 Rodney Patrick with 6 points.

The scorers for the Hawks were:  #22 Kevin Douglas with 28 points, #23 Yohance Thompson with 12 points, #24 Quentin Leonard with 10 points, #34 Ernest Adams with 6 points, and #11 Kenyatta Hardge with 5 points.