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The second game, between the Kingdom Ballers and Celtics, was played at 8:00 on 3 November 2016 at North Highland Assembly of God's Church gymnasium.  The Kingdom Ballers won their first game of the season against the Bombers on 27 October.  Last evening, they returned to play the defending champions who have been on a sliding scale in the losing column.  The Celtics entered the gym with three losses for the season.  While the Kingdom Ballers are gaining confidence, the Celtics have been lacking the guidance and leadership that separated them from their opponents for 16 seasons.  Though all teams will play 21 regular season games and will play in the playoffs, it is too soon to scratch any team off the chart to win the national title.

When the game started, both teams braced themselves for a win.  The Celtics went on a run with Jerel Jackson (#24) launching shots that descended from a high horizon into the nets.  He scored 17 points in the first half.  Ralph Mathews (#00) and James Daniels (#20) supported Jackson with 9 points, each.  Wason Davis (#21) and Lamont Shuford (#11) led the Kingdom Ballers with 9 points, each.  As I watched the game, I observed one team struggle to learn how to play better as a team and the other struggle to accept their history of working together.  The Kingdom Ballers kept reminding each other to "Keep playing".  Lamont Shuford challenged his teammates to "Play Hard!!"  As Shuford was urging his teammates to play hard, the Celtics were clearly out of step and lacking so many things, to include, personnel assignment.  There was an atmosphere of individuality.  With all that said, the Celtics led at the end of the first half, 39 - 29. 

The second half would confirm my observation as I watched the Kingdom Ballers come together to dominate the Celtics and hold them to 15 points.  The Kingdom Ballers really went after the Celtics and challenged every shot/every possession.  Antonio Harris, Santonio Howard, Lamont Shuford, and Joseph Ellison joined ranks and dominated the Celtics on the boards.  The big men played big ball.  The Celtics scored one (1) point in the last two minutes of the game.  What a breakdown and or shutdown.  This is how both teams shot the ball.  Both teams score 34 points from 2-point range.  The Kingdom Ballers scored 18 points from 3-point range compared to 15 by the Celtics.  The Celtics scored on five (5) free throws versus three (3) from the Kingdom Ballers.  It was a very even game that ended with the Kingdom Ballers serving the Celtics another loss of 55 - 54.

The scorers for the Celtics were:  (#24) Jerel Jackson with 26 points, (#1) Al Wilson with 2 points, (#8) Jerald Mahone with 2 points, (#00) Ralph Mathews with 9 points, (#20) James Daniels with 14 points, and (#15) Christopher None with 1 point.

The scorers for the Kingdom Ballers were:  (#31) Willie Haynes with 6 points, (#21) Wason Davis with 11 points, (#5) Christopher Mathis with 9 points, (#11) Lamont Shuford with 15 points, (#34) Antonio Anthony with 2 points, (#32) Santonio Howard with 10 points, and (#33) Joseph Ellison with 2 points.