Season 8 of the BIG3 is already halfway over, meaning each game from here on out is even more critical than before. Players and teams feel the intensity rising as the weeks go on and it was no different in week 5 with each game. This week there were four players who scored 25 or more points, including a 30-point performance from the reigning MVP. With the league coming off of a bye week, it’s no surprise to see the number of good performances in week 5. As we head down the stretch and into a playoff chase, the desperation and physicality are going to be taken up a notch, making for a must-see second half of the season in the BIG3.
BIG3 Basketball Week 5 Top Performances
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Michael Beasley (Miami 305)
Week 5 stats: 30 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Michael Beasley easily put on his best performance of the season and one of the best of his BIG3 Basketball career. He put up the second 30-point game in the league, the first by Joe Johnson in week 1. Beasley continues to be one of the most electric players in the league as he hit back-to-back clutch baskets to improve Miami 305 to 3-1.
With his 30 points, Beasley has now scored 20+ in three of four games. He’s also been one of the best rebounders in the BIG3, securing his second nine-rebound performance of the season. Along with hitting a four-pointer to go with his dominant offensive performance, he added in a steal and a block. Beasley continues to challenge for the best player in the league and has a high chance to earn back-to-back BIG3 MVP awards.
Earl Clark (DMV Trilogy)
Week 5 stats: 28 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block
Speaking of best performances, Earl Clark had his best of the season. Clark put up a season-low 10 points in week 3 but came back with a season-high 28 points this week. Even with his season low, he still tallied a double-double and that’s what he almost put up this week with his eight rebounds. Despite his great performance, DMV Trilogy still remains without a win on the season but not because of Clark, as he’s been the best player on the team so far.
Jonathon Simmons (Boston Ball Hogs)
Week 5 stats: 27 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Jonathan Simmons has been one of the best players in the BIG3 and he cemented that in week 5. He carried the Boston Ball Hogs to a 51-43 win against the LA Riot with his 27-point performance. While everyone was a key contributor in this game, Simmons had to do all the scoring on his team, with no one else touching double-digit points. He’s one of the most underrated players in the BIG3 but he shows week in and week out why he shouldn’t be.
Cameron Smith (Detroit Amps)
Week 5 stats: 25 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks
No Joe Johnson? No problem. This is the second week in a row that Johnson has missed due to injury for the Detroit Amps. Last week was a blowout loss. This time? A 10-point victory because of Cameron Smith. He shined in his BIG3 debut with a 25-point, 8-rebound game. He also chipped in two blocks. Smith showed out in his debut and gave the Amps the scoring punch they needed with Iso Joe on the sidelines.
Shakur Juiston (Detroit Amps)
Week 5 stats: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
While Smith was the talk of the Amps in his BIG3 debut, Shakur Juiston had a big helping hand in their victory on Sunday. He also had a 20-point game and put up numbers across the board. While Juiston also had two blocks, he tallied two steals as well. Both did it on the defensive end to carry their team to a 3-1 record.
T.J. Cline (Power)
Week 5 stats: 19 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists
This was an abnormal game for Dallas Power as they only trotted out three players for the whole contest, Glen Rice Jr., TJ Cline, and John Millsap. It was an uphill battle but Power remained in the game until the end, coming up short 50-45. Both Cline and Rice Jr. had 19 points but Cline also put up a double-double with 13 rebounds as well. Cline has failed to reach double-digit points in any prior game this season but due to the circumstances, he had the spotlight to show his talent.
Other Notable Performances:
Glen Rice Jr. (Dallas Power): 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
Nasir Core (Chicago Triplets): 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 assists
Brandon Moss (Houston Rig Hands): 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Montrezl Harrell (Chicago triplets): 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks
Dwight Howard (LA Riot): 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Jordan Crawford (LA Riot): 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Chris Allen (Chicago Triplets): 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals
Garlon Green (Houston Rig Hands): 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Lance Stephenson (Miami 305): 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal 1 block
Isaiah Austin (DMV Trilogy): 12 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Week 5 Final Scores:
Miami 305 52; DMV Trilogy 49
Chicago Triplets 50; Dallas Power 45
Boston Ball Hogs 51; LA Riot 43
Detroit Amps 50; Houston Rig Hands 40
Week 6 Schedule:
LA Riot (2-2) vs Chicago Triplets (3-1)
Dallas Power (2-2) vs Miami 305 (3-1)
Detroit Amps (3-1) vs DMV Trilogy (0-4)
Houston Rig Hands (1-3) vs Boston Ball Hogs (2-2)
