1934-35 Uplantic Basketball Playoffs: Division Championships

March 1, 1935

After the Division Championships, the UMB Finals are set! The winners will take home the Continental Cup!

The Riverside Ramblers rode a big second half to take Game 1 of the Western Division Championship from the Gandolire Jewels, 64-50. Ramblers GF Luther James scored 16 points and pulled down 6 rebounds in the win.
The Prissley Riverwolves opened the Eastern Division Championship with a rout of the Thundaru Lightning in Game 1, 71-52. Riverwolves G Brandon Benakotas put up 18 points, 2 assists, and a rebound in the big win.

The Ramblers outscored the Jewels 22-10 in the first quarter and never looked back, taking Game 2 at home, 59-48. Luther James was brilliant again, scoring 24 points on 8 threes, with 4 rebounds. Riverside leads the series over Gandolire, 2-0.
The Riverwolves came alive in the fourth quarter, holding Thundaru to just 5 points and coming from behind to win Game 2, 65-56. Prissley SG Jesse Mills dropped 16 points with 4 rebounds and a steal. The Riverwolves take a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Thundaru for Game 3.

The Gandolire Jewels won an overtime thriller in Game 3, 79-76. The Ramblers now lead the series 2 games to 1. This game saw three single-game records fall. Despite his team’s losing effort, Luther James set the league record with 36 points scored on 10 three pointers (also a UMB record). Jewels PG Johnny Sherman scored 18 on the winning side, and set the UMB record with 15 assists in the game.
The Riverwolves took Game 3 from the Lightning in dramatic fashion, 55-54. Jesse Mills scored 13 for the Riverwolves, with 4 rebounds and an assist. Prissley takes a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, one win away from the Finals.

Riverside bounced back from their OT loss in Game 3 with a 20-point rout of the Jewels, 73-53. Ramblers GF Luther James stayed red-hot, scoring 28 points on 8 threes, with 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Riverside now leads the series 3 games to 1, with a chance to win the series at home in Game 5.
The Riverwolves held off the Lightning for a narrow win, 57-56, sweeping the series and advancing to the UMB Finals as Eastern Division Champs. Riverwolves G Brandon Benakotas scored 16 points with 3 rebounds and 8 assists in the win. Prissley is riding high as they await the winner of the Western Division Championship series.

The series shifted back to Riverside for Game 5. A back-and-forth game ended with a game-winning three from Ramblers G Lukas Higarza, giving Riverside a 60-59 win and sending them to the UMB Finals against the Riverwolves. Riverside wins the series, 4-1. Luther James led the way again for the Ramblers, scoring 16 points with 6 rebounds.