After an exciting pair of playoff games, the 2022 BIG3 championship is set. After defeating the Aliens 50-45, the reigning champion Trilogy were able to advance to the championship game for a second straight season. They will face off against the Power, who were also able to advance after toppling the 3 Headed Monsters 51-49.
Isaiah Briscoe led the way for the Trilogy with 21 points, four assists and two rebounds, while Glen Rice Jr. paced the Power with 26 points and six rebounds. The Trilogy and Power will now meet next Sunday at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta to determine a champion. Before moving ahead to that game, though, here’s a look at the final scores and three takeaways from the two semifinal games.
Playoff scores
- Trilogy 50, Aliens 45
- Power 51, 3 Headed Monsters 49
Trilogy has a chance at history
Now that the Trilogy has returned to the championship game for a second straight season, they have an opportunity to make some BIG3 history. If they’re able to win, they’ll become the first team in league history to capture back-to-back titles. They can also become the first team to win three championships, as they were also the last team standing during the league’s inaugural season back in 2017. The Trilogy isn’t the only team that has experience winning championships, though, as the Power won the BIG3 title in 2018. So, no matter which team wins the title next week, it will be a team that we’ve already seen win at least one.
Like father, like son
Glen Rice was a lethal floor-spacer during his days in the NBA, and it looks like his son, Glen Rice Jr., has followed in his footsteps. Rice Jr. was the top overall pick in the 2022 BIG3 Draft, and on Sunday he showed why. In the biggest game of the season for the Power, Rice Jr. led the team with 26 points — over half of their total. He converted big bucket after big bucket for the Power over the course of the contest, including the game-winning shot that propelled the team to the championship when the game could have gone either way. You can see that big-time bucket below:
Rice Jr. hit the shot in front of his father, who was in attendance. That had to be a cool feeling. The Power will need one more big-time performance from him next week if they hope to end the season on top.
No revenge opportunity for the 3 Headed Monsters
When the Trilogy won the first BIG3 championship in 2017, they defeated the 3 Headed Monsters in the final game to claim the title. Then, when the Trilogy won its second title last season, they again bested the 3 Headed Monsters in the championship. This season, the 3 Headed Monsters were obviously hoping to get some revenge. The Trilogy punched their ticket to the title game first, so all the 3 Headed Monsters had to do was win over the Power, and then they’d have their chance to claim their revenge on the league’s biggest stage. Unfortunately for the 3 Headed Monsters, they were unable to do so, and now it will be up to the Power to prevent the Trilogy from becoming the first back-to-back champs in BIG3 history.
