The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

With the Atlantis Resort and The Bahamas as its backdrop, the BIG3 concluded its fourth season in thrilling fashion and crowned its first two-time champion in league history.

Jarret Jack delivered an MVP performance with 29 points and the game winning three-pointer to lead Trilogy to a 50-45 win over 3 Headed Monster in the championship game Saturday at the Imperial Arena.

Jack, who also finished with five assists and three steals, was named BIG3 Co-Rookie of the Year prior to the game.

The veteran NBA point guard, who last played with the G-League Ignite, said it was an emotional way to conclude the season, following his record setting 35 point performance in the semifinals.

“Got a little emotional, to be honest, man, this was crazy,” Jack said in post game interviews, “This was my first time hitting a game-winner in front of my son. I’m happy for him to be a part of it. Our coach stuck with us through and through every week. We had a hell of a group man. I just want to shout out these guys, my teammates.”

Amir Johnson added a double double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, BIG3 4th-Man of the Year award winner Isiah Briscoe finished with seven points off the bench, and James White finished with four points and three rebounds.

Trilogy, who also won the title in 2017, became the first team to win two league titles. White, the lone holdover from the 2017 roster also became the only BIG3 player with two league titles to his credit.

Reggie Evans led 3 Headed Monsters with a double double, 20 points, a game high 15 rebounds and three assists. Rashard lewis finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots while Co-Rookie of the Year Kevin Murphy added 12 points.

Trilogy completed a second half comeback after an early deficit when 3 Headed Monsters got out to a 13 point lead at the break. Murphy made a pair of late threes to give his team a 26-13 lead at the half.

Jack and Trilogy turned things around in the second half when Jack scored 10 unanswered points to get his team back into the game.

Trilogy head coach Stephen Jackson also made history as the first person to participate in a BIG3 title as both a player and a coach.

“I’m the first coach to play and coach in the BIG3 championship, and I’m glad I was able to win one,” Stephen Jackson said. “Shout out to my team. I got a great group of guys, great group of professionals. Shout out to Gary Payton and 3 Headed Monsters, they got a great team. But I knew when I did the draft I wanted some professionals. I wanted some guys that wanted to play the game and loved the game, and that showed tonight.”

Saturday’s title game was a rematch of the 2017 title game when Trilogy came away with a 51-46 win at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

3HM is coached by Hall of Famer Gary Payton, with a roster that includes the aforementioned Evans, Lewis, Murphy and co-captain Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. The only team to remain fully intact since the league’s inception, 3HM have advanced to the playoffs in every season of BIG3 basketball but have yet to win that elusive title.

Tri-State claimed the third place game with a 50-31 win over Triplets and BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson. Justin Dentmons led Tri-State with 24 points and six rebounds while Jason Richardson scored 22 points. Alan Anderson led the Triplets with 14 points.

BIG3 co-founders Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz, outlined the league’s path to a successful return following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Keeping the league alive was something that we were dedicated to doing,” Cube said in an interview with Forbes magazine, “We knew we could sustain it for a year without play. If this would’ve lasted two or three years, who knows? Fortunately, we were able to get it right, keep it going and not fall on our face.”

While the league lost Adidas as a sponsor, several new corporate entities came onboard including Microsoft as the official technology partner and jersey patch sponsor of the league, Verizon, Monster Energy, Zip Recruiter and Taco Bell.

“It’s been an amazing ride,” said Ice Cube. “The journey has been one of a kind on a lot of levels. One of the hardest things that I’ve done in the entertainment space. I see why leagues fail now. We’re just blessed to be in a position where we’re trending in the right direction and it looks like we’re going to be here for a long time.”