With just two weeks of games remaining, Sunday could be viewed as “moving day” in the K1 Basketball League. Team 9 and Team 1 remain tied for first place with a 4-1 record, as four other teams remain within striking distance. Four of the league’s top six teams will matchup on Sunday, while Team 3 will have two chances to pick up its first win of the year.

Team 1 vs. Team 3
In the opening matchup of the week, Team 1 will be heavy favorites against Team 3, who comes in at 0-5. Ray Lawrence is coming off player of the week honors for Team 1, as he scored 30 points in a big win against Team 4. Guard Chris Green will look to have his first big game of the season, as big men Trey Johnson and John Martin should also see some opportunities against the undersized Team 3. If Team 3 can’t get it done against Team 1, they will have a second opportunity later in the day against Team 2 to pick up their first win of the season. Expect Team 1 to fire on all cylinders in a big win.

Team 1 vs. Team 6
Team 1 has another favorable matchup against Team 6, who enters the game with a 1-4 record. Although Team 6 has been able to score from the outside this season, their lack of post play and rebounding will likely cost them against an athletic blue team. Team 1, who has their sights set on finishing in the top two of the league, will welcome Dane Schlafley and Marty Bothwell back into the lineup. Meanwhile, Team 6’s Tyrone Norsworthy is also expected to make his league debut. He will need to have a big game, alongside leading scorer Alex Mitchner if they hope to compete.

Team 7 vs. Team 6
Both Team 6 and Team 7 enter the day with identical 1-4 records. Although each team’s potential path to the final four will likely prove difficult, there is a distinct advantage in finishing inside the top seven in the league, avoiding the 8 vs. 9 play-in game. As things currently sit, the winner of this game will have sole possession of the seventh spot, which could prove big come playoff time. Team 7’s Shaye Carter will look to continue his solid play on the inside, while their talented trio of guards in Jaquan Boxley, Darian Bosby, and Patrick Cullom, will look to continue their offensive output. Team 6 will need the Harrison family, Vince, Ty, and Jayden, to step up in a big way against the slightly favored team 7.

Team 2 vs. Team 3
Team 2 has been one of the league’s most impressive teams this season. Not only do they enter the day with a 4-2 record, but their only two losses have come to the two teams that are 4-1. They will feel good about their matchup against Team 3. Look for CJ Link, Jared Harris, and Braijon Thomas, to build upon their double digit scoring average. For Team, 3, Zach Mcguirt impressed in his league debut a week ago, as did guard Michael Lonergan Jr. who is averaging eight points and five rebounds per game. Team 3 will need big man Jonathan Townsend to hold down the fort inside for them to compete with the highly-skilled Team 2.

Team 8 vs. Team 5
The day’s second to last game will be one of the year’s most intriguing matchups, as Team 8 (4-2) matches up against Team 5 (3-2). Team 8 continues to look better and better each week, and will be slight favorites in this one. Seth Johnson poured in 27 points and 25 rebounds a week ago, while Bobby Crivokapich had 30 points of his own. Terrell Hendrix for Team 5, is one of the top scorers in the league, averaging more than 20 points a game. As Team 5 searches for its first signature win of the season, they will need to hit a lot of shots from the outside, as they could be heavily outmanned in the middle. Big man Demarcus Macon will need to play his best basketball, and Jamari Washington will also have to contribute on both ends of the court for Team 5 to pull off the upset.

Team 9 vs. Team 4
Team 9 remains tied for first place in the league standings with a 4-1 record. This will be one of their biggest tests of the season, against a team 4 that is desperate for a big win. Although Team 4 comes in with a record of 3-3, they have been either tied or leading in the second half of all six games that they have played in this year. The difference in this one will likely come from behind the arc, where Team 9 has shot the ball well this season. Red Binion, Brian Hernandez, and Tyree Mosley have led the way in this department. Team 4’s Kale Maupin has been one of the top interior players in the K1 League this year, as he leads leads all scorers with 24.8 points per game this season. On the outside, Caleb Johnson, Christian Straw, and Jake Lingle will all need to play well to put Team 4 in a position to win down the stretch.