Well, well, well, what an Elite 8 week of games. Man, my head is still spinning from all the noise and drama. I finally went 4-0 in my picks and this week it sets up for another exciting Final 4. We had the kings of T&T explode and destroy the hustlers by 13 points; Bronx ran express and subdued the sharp shooters by 16 points; Fellowship, I'm so proud of this team, they blew the lights out of the kingsmen of Kingsboro by 20 points; and of course the defending champs White Plains pulled out a close one against the ballers of Bethany by 3 points. What makes this week games interesting is the fact that all 4 teams faced each other in the regular season and this time it's for a trip to the final. But before I get into the picks let’s do our traditional send off to those teams that saw their season go up in smoke.
I booked a smaller boat this trip because I anticipate a smaller group. But to the hustlers of Horeb; the sharp shooters of Ebenezer, the kingsmen of Kingsboro and the ballers of Bethany great season fellas but it just wasn't meant to be. You played hard and fought with dignity but in the end you lost to a better team that night. I know it hurts to come so close and lose but keep your heads up because Rome wasn't built in one day or season. See where it all went wrong and focus on becoming a better team next season. Always remember that disappointment is a part of life and growth, no one will give you anything in life it must be earned. Don't dwell on the mistakes of the past but see how you can become better players and team mates so that next year you would be one of the few. Try and enjoy the sunshine and cool breeze because next year will be upon us soon. With that said let's see what Milo thinks about this week final 4 games which would be " Fire " to say the least. Let’s go.

Christian Fellowship Hawks vs Triumphant Tabernacle Kings:

Rematch of divisional rivals as the hawks of Fellowship try and stop the kings of T&T and repay them for an earlier season loss. I must admit Fellowship surprised me last week with a dominant performance. They led from start to finish and seem to gel at the right time. Fellowship last trip to the final 4 was when they played with Jello, Cornbread, and Clutch. Now the new kids on the block have taken the challenge and proved they are worthy. Now they face their toughest battle and man is it going to be tough. You see T&T defeated Fellowship back in February by 16 points and didn't seem fazed. They were able to do whatever they wanted and Fellowship had no answers. The question is can Fellowship clear their minds and focus this game, or would they come out nervous and tentative. The kings on the other hand is a well-coached team with studs at every position. This team is hungry and it showed in their performance all year. They lost one game this year by one point against the defending champs and didn't have their full roster. This team is for real and after last week game they were biting at the chops for another shot at the champs if they made it back. What are the keys to victory for both teams? Fellowship must play solid defense for 40 minutes, shoot extremely well from the field, out rebound their opponent, and minimize the turnovers. T&T on the other hand must play their up tempo style and attack the paint, shoot well from the line, get bench contributions, and execute down the stretch. Can Fellowship play a complete game absolutely, but they would have to be totally committed to defense and boxing out their opponent. Look for a close game and I give Fellowship a fighting chance, but in the end I feel that the kings are coming and nothing is going to stop them from the championship game. T&T wins this match up by at least 8 points as it sets up for an epic final.

Bronx Hawks Express vs White Plains Professors:

There is a thunderstorm coming in the northeast and fans are preparing for an all-out drenching. You see this is what I like about these games there are so much drama that goes along with the games that I find it very intriguing. We have on one hand the Bronx Hawks who have been one of the toasts of the town this year. They only lost 2 games this season but defeated White Plains in their earlier match back in February by 7 points. Bronx players know what is at stake and I know their coaching staff is busy drawing up plans to try and stop the defending champs. It also shows what good coaching this team has because they would run through a wall for their coach. Back in February when they defeated White Plains I remember some of the fans being upset of the style of play that game. However, in fairness to the Bronx team, fans , and coaches they won the game and played solid defense that resulted in that win. Now they have a chance to silence their critics and prove their win wasn't a fluke. Also don't forget this is a rematch from last year Final 4 game where White Plains defeated Bronx on their way to another championship. White Plains has been in this spot it seems for the last decade, and to put things in their right perspective they won a total of 113 games to 9 loses in the last 7 years. They won 4 Championships going for another, 6 divisional crowns, and been in a total of 7 championship games losing 2 (Flatbush & New Dimension). They have two repeats of championships and if they win this year would be a third. That my friend is what I call “Dynasty”. I know there are a lot of haters out there who are hoping White Plains loses so they don't have to hear it from their fans and followers. But in all honesty as a competitor I would rather beat the best than win against a team I know I could beat, but hey that's just me talking. What are the keys to victory for both teams? Bronx must play solid defense, shoot well from the field, execute their game plan, and push the rock as much as possible. White Plains on the other hand must minimize the turnovers, shoot well from the line, out rebound their opponent, and pressure the guards of Bronx into turnovers. This game would be a barn fight because both teams have history and both teams don't care for each other ( in gamesmanship way). I feel it would come down to the wire, but in the end I feel that WP would not lose twice to a team in this league especially with what's at stake. White Plains wins this game in the final seconds as they head back to yet another championship game and further distinguishing themselves as the best ever.

Well that's all for Milo's Final 4 picks. Players come out and give the fans a show; fans come out and support your teams and lets fellowship together. Pray for our youth because with all the brutality and killings that is going on it's a sign that the King is coming. We need to have outlets for the youths to benefit from so that they aren't targets for the devil. Blacks are being killed senselessly and if not for the social media lots of this wouldn't even hit the fan. We need to be leaders in our kids’ lives and show them how to be aware of dangers in society. Don't let the streets teach our kids we have to take it upon ourselves because too many young lives are being lost as a result. Keep praying because soon and very soon we all will have to answer to God for all the decisions we have made in this life. Until next time this is Milo signing out. God Bless.