June 20th Charlotte NC - The Balling Brothers continued their remarkable postseason run Saturday afternoon, knocking off the top-seeded Petersburg Cavaliers 129- 109 in the ECBL Premier Bracket Championship at Second Ward High School Gymnasium in Charlotte. The victory sends the Balling Brothers to the 2026 ECBL Championship Game on June 27, where they will face the Charlotte Blue Jackets in Charlotte for the league title.

After entering the playoffs as the No. 5 seed, the Balling Brothers have now defeated the No. 12 Park City Dreamers, No. 4 Gastonia Snipers, and No. 1 Petersburg Cavaliers to earn a spot in the championship game.

From the opening tip, Balling Brothers played with the confidence of a team on a mission. They jumped out to a 34-27 lead after the first quarter behind efficient shooting and relentless rebounding. Petersburg attempted to keep pace behind the play of league standout Elijah Moore, but the Cavaliers struggled to string together defensive stops as Balling Brothers continued to attack in transition and in the half court.

The lead grew to 69-54 by halftime as Balling Brothers shot over 50 percent from the floor and controlled the glass. Petersburg showed signs of life in the third quarter, getting strong contributions from Moore and Jaleel Nelson, but every Cavaliers run was answered by timely baskets from the Balling Brothers. By the end of the third period, Balling Brothers still held a comfortable 100-83 advantage.

The Cavaliers never got closer than 15 points in the final quarter as Balling Brothers continued to execute offensively. Their balanced attack and dominance on the boards eventually pushed the margin past 20 points, allowing them to celebrate a convincing 130-109 victory and the Premier Bracket Championship.

Josh Williams led the way for Balling Brothers with 34 points on 14-of-28 shooting while adding five rebounds and four assists. Travis Cooper turned in one of the most impressive performances of the postseason, finishing with 19 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Shakeem White added 16 points, including four three-pointers, while Brian Rushin scored 13 points and Darius Dawson contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. Lebron Woodbury added 10 points and eight rebounds as six Balling Brothers players scored in double figures.

As a team, Balling Brothers shot 52 percent from the field, connected on 55 percent of their three-point attempts, and outrebounded Petersburg 55-44. Their unselfish play was evident throughout the game as they recorded 32 assists on 52 made field goals.

Petersburg was led by Elijah Moore, who finished with a game-high 37 points while knocking down five three-pointers and collecting 11 rebounds. Jaleel Nelson added 29 points and six rebounds, while Jordan Crump chipped in 11 points. Despite the strong individual performances, the Cavaliers could not overcome Balling Brothers’ offensive efficiency and rebounding advantage.

The loss ends a tremendous season for Petersburg, who entered the playoffs as the No. 1 overall seed and spent much of the year atop the ECBL standings. The Cavaliers reached the Premier Bracket Championship after defeating the Carolina Thunder and appeared poised for a championship run before running into a red-hot Balling Brothers squad.

For Balling Brothers, the win marks the biggest victory of their season and sets up a championship showdown against the Charlotte Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets captured the ECBL Elite Bracket Championship later Saturday and will now host the league championship game on June 27.

With both teams playing their best basketball at the right time, the stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the 2026 ECBL season as the Balling Brothers and Charlotte Blue Jackets battle for the ECBL Championship.