Triplets vs Ball Hogs

Deshawn Stephens delivered the single biggest performance in Boston Ball Hogs franchise history on Saturday, dropping 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead his side past the Chicago Triplets 50–47 in the BIG3 semifinals at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The No. 3-seeded Ball Hogs (7–3) erased a 26–25 halftime deficit by matching the Triplets point-for-point through the second half before pulling away late. The win sends Boston to the BIG3 Championship for the first time ever, where they will face the Dallas Power next Saturday (22 August) on CBS.

How it unfolded

The BIG3's first-to-50, win-by-two format meant every possession carried outsized weight. Chicago opened strong, with Leandro Barbosa — a former Ball Hog himself — scoring 19 points on the day, while Montrezl Harrell anchored the glass with 13 rebounds. The Triplets led 26–25 at the half, the exact moment the first team reaches 25 points.

Boston flipped the script after the break. Jeremy Pargo orchestrated the offence (14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) and Garlon Green contributed 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals, but it was Stephens who seized control. The 6'8" forward scored from inside, cleaned up misses and swatted two shots on the defensive end. Ball Hogs won the second half 25–21, hitting the 50-point threshold before Chicago could answer.

The turning point

Stephens' two-way dominance defined the game. The Ball Hogs' co-captain recorded a double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds, adding 2 steals and 2 blocks. His effort on defence neutralised Harrell, limiting the Triplets' MVP candidate to just 8 points — a full 10 below his season average — despite 13 boards. With Pargo struggling from the field, Stephens carrying the scoring load was the difference.

"What adds to Stephens' monster performance was his defence," wrote Shane Lang of LWOSports. "He was lockdown early and played strong defence throughout, helping the Ball Hogs contain Montrezl Harrell to single-digit points."

Key performers

• Deshawn Stephens (Ball Hogs) — 27 pts, 11 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk. The undisputed player of the match. A career day at exactly the right moment.
• Leandro Barbosa (Triplets) — 19 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast. The Brazilian veteran kept Chicago in it when Harrell was shackled.
• Jeremy Pargo (Ball Hogs) — 14 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast. Steady hand at point guard even on an off shooting night.
• Montrezl Harrell (Triplets) — 8 pts, 13 reb, 1 blk. Contained by Stephens but still a force on the boards.

By the numbers

The BIG3's 50-point target creates a compressed stat line, but the margins tell a clear story. Boston shot 50% from two-point range in the second half while holding the Triplets to 21 points after the break. Chicago, which entered as the No. 2 seed with a 6–3 record, never led by more than 4 after halftime. The Triplets finished their season having gone 0–3 this year against Boston, including a 53–49 regular-season loss in Week 4.

What it means

The Ball Hogs, founded in 2018 and coached by Hall of Famer Gary Payton, are in the BIG3 Championship game for the first time in franchise history. They face the top-seeded Dallas Power (8–1), who dismantled Miami 305 50–36 in the second semifinal. The title game takes place Saturday 22 August at a venue still to be confirmed, airing on CBS.

For the Triplets (6–4), a promising season ends in the semifinal. They entered the playoffs as one of the league's deepest teams but ran into a motivated Boston side that had their number all year.

Verdict

This was a straightforward defensive masterclass from Boston. Stephens played the game of his life, Harrell was neutralised, and a franchise that had never reached the final is now 40 minutes from a ring. The Triplets will look back on a season where they beat everyone except the one team that mattered most.