By Taylor Purpura
After a thrilling championship game where we saw The Chasers take down previously undefeated No Limit, the season will officially come to an end on Monday night as we will see the league’s best players take the court in the Winter 18 All-Star game. Before the game tips off, the DJ Stillo Three-Point Contest and the Sportslook Passing League Slam Dunk Contest will take place as we will be able to witness some of the best shooters and high-flyers that the Legacy Leagues has to offer.
DJ Stillo Three-Point Contest (Monday, 4/2 at 8:30pm)
The Three-Point contest will be the first event of the night, as we will get to see some of the best sharpshooters in the league show off their long range ability. Each participant will take 25 total shots from five ball racks placed around the three-point arc; one in each corner, one on each wing, and one at the top of the key. The first four balls on each rack count for one point, while the last ball on each rack, or the DJ Stillo “Money Ball” will count for two points each, allowing for a maximum of 30 points.
The event will be timed, but the time-factor will be used as a tiebreaker in the first round only, as each contestant should have plenty of time in the two minutes they are given to take all 25 shots. The contest will consist of two rounds with the six contestants. Three of the participants will be eliminated after the First Round, and the Final Round will contain the top three shooters from Round One to determine the champion.
This year’s participants are Jason Hernandez of The Throne, Reggie Stewart of the Monstars, Matt Zocco of Stranger Danger, Luke Riccio of Shooters Shoot, Mike Davis of the Blue Devils, and Finals MVP Diontay Washington of The Chasers. Mike Davis led the league in three-pointers made (45) while shooting a solid 40.2 percent from behind the arc. Davis has experience in this contest, as he won the Winter 17 three-point contest. Davis should be considered the favorite this year, but any one of these participants can get hot and win the trophy.
Sportslook Passing League Slam Dunk Contest (Monday, 4/2 at 9pm)
The second event of the night will highlight the league’s highest flyers. The contest will feature three rounds, and the Final Round will pit the final three participants who received the highest combined scores from the first two rounds against one another. The dunker’s scores will be determined by four judges, each scoring the dunks on a scale of 1-10. There is no time limit on this event, but each participant will be held to a five dunk limit per round. In the Final Round, each participant is allowed one final dunk to determine the champion.
This year’s participants include Eric Singleton of No Limit, Richard Bronson of the Rim Breakers, Mike Bozzuto of the Flint Tropics, Dom Migliaro of Goon Squad, and Kintwon Miles of the Monstars.
Eric Singleton will look to defend his title in what should be a fun contest to watch. Singleton should once again be considered the favorite, but I believe his teammate Shaquan Jackson has a very good shot to take home the title this year.
Winter 18 CT Legacy Leagues All-Star Game (Monday, 4/2 at 9:30pm)
After the two contests conclude, a collection of the most talented players the league has to offer will face off in the Winter 18 Legacy Leagues All-Star Game. Captains Jason Hernandez of The Throne and Melquan Horton of the Temptations drafted their respective teams a couple weeks back. Each team’s roster is listed below:
-Team Hernandez:
Jason Hernandez (The Throne) **Captain**
Mike Davis (Blue Devils)
Diontay Washington (The Chasers)
Eric Singleton (No Limit)
Kintwon Miles (Monstars)
Dom Migliaro (Goon Squad)
Davon Pratt (Blue Devils)
-Team Horton:
Melquan Horton (Temptations) **Captain**
Mike Bozzuto (Flint Tropics)
Carmine Santorelli (Temptations)
Reggie Stewart (Monstars)
Kevin Blake (Team Moose)
Tarell Vargas (No Limit)
Richard Bronson (Rim Breakers)
Cody Dileonardo (Blood, Sweat and Beers)
This should be a very competitive game, as both teams feature a good balance of scorers and defenders. Team Hernandez has a little bit more offensive fire power in my opinion, but Team Horton has a number of very strong defenders in Melquan Horton, Kevin Blake, and Cody Dileonardo. I expect to see a lot of three-pointers and a lot of highlight dunks in this game. Look for the best of the best to put on a show Monday night.
