The seventh season of BIG3 basketball came in hot on Saturday afternoon at Oakland Arena. The opener was headlined by a championship rematch between the Enemies and Triplets, with key players showing out in the season opener.
The Enemies' title defense began with a comeback win over the Triplets. After taking a 25-23 lead at halftime, the Enemies got off to a slow start in the second half. They missed most of their early shots and allowed the Triplets to go on an 11-0 run, digging themselves into a 36-25 hole. Jordan Crawford and the Enemies battled back, going on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 40. Crawford scored the Enemies' last eight points, swishing a deep three over Jamario Moon for a 50-44 victory. He finished the game with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists, while Elijah Stewart put up 16 points, six boards and one assist.
Three-time champions Trilogy began their journey back to excellence after falling to the Enemies in the first round of last year's playoffs. On Saturday, they went down to the wire with Bivouac, and, despite Isaiah Briscoe's 25 points and solid defense down the stretch, they fell, 52-47. Gerald Green buried the game-winning three for Bivouac and rang up 18 points with four 3-pointers.
Another close contest came between the Killer 3s and Ghost Ballers. Despite a trio of Killer 3s -- Donte Greene, Josh Powell, and Frank Session -- scoring in double figures, and Greene and Powell registering double-doubles, guard Mike Taylor and the Ghost Ballers pulled off a 50-48 victory. Taylor finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while big man Chris Johnson put up 20 points, and added nine boards and one assist.
Here are all of the final scores and key takeaways from the first week of the 2024 BIG3 season.
Final scores
- Enemies 50, Triplets 44
- 3 Headed Monsters 51, Aliens 46
- Ball Hogs 51, Tri-State 37
- Bivouac 52, Trilogy 47
- Ghost Ballers 50, Killer 3s 48
- 3's Company 52, Power 50
Key takeaways
Iso Joe's still got it
In a pregame interview with BIG3 commentator Rachel DeMita, Triplets head coach and Hall-of-Famer Lisa Leslie said, "As long as I have the three-time MVP in Joe Johnson, I feel like Team Triplets always has a chance."
Iso Joe, now 42, reminded everyone why he's a three-time BIG3 MVP. The fifth-year forward was the driving force behind the Triplets' play in the first half, recording 10 points and five rebounds in a tight contest. Despite the loss, he ended the game with a double-double: 22 points and 16 rebounds.
Johnson is coming off of a dominant season, where he averaged 19 points and 8.8 rebounds per game -- both good for fourth in the BIG3. His strong play in the season opener is a good sign that he won't be slowing down anytime soon.
New players shine in debuts
The BIG3 added 18 new players this season, including many with significant NBA experience. Among those were Greg Monroe and Jeff Teague of the Aliens and Paul Millsap of the 3 Headed Monsters. Millsap led the Monsters with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists, but hobbled to the locker room after suffering a late-game injury. Monroe led the Aliens with 14 points, eight rebounds and one assist, while Jeff Teague posted 10 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Three former college players also made their BIG3 debuts. The Enemies' Chris Allen scored eight points and pulled down six rebounds. Brandon Moss, who was picked by the Monsters first in this year's draft, made a great first impression with 11 points, nine rebounds and one assist. And in the nightcap, Power's Marcus Foster recorded 15 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Ball Hogs becoming team to watch
The Ball Hogs added some pieces after missing the playoffs with a 4-4 record. The four players who received minutes Saturday got involved early against Tri-State. But, they were ultimately led by 14-year NBA veteran Leandro Barbosa, who returned to the same arena he won an NBA title in 2015.
Barbosa racked up 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists -- including the game-winning three -- but admitted he was exhausted in his postgame interview.
"I'm very tired, I'm not gonna lie," Barbosa told former Ball Hogs teammate and BIG3 commentator Brian Scalabrine. "I didn't practice yesterday, I got jet lag, I came from Spain. I [had] a fever yesterday, but I was good to play -- especially for [teammate Lucas Mariano's] first game. It was a pleasure to be on the court again with him."
Mariano is another BIG3 rookie to watch this year. The 6'10", 30-year-old forward has played with Barbosa in Brazil and was eager to join him in the competitive, physical 3-on-3 league. He had 12 points, five rebounds and two assists in his debut against Tri-State, and looks to play a key role as the Ball Hogs aim for their first ever postseason appearance.