September 16, 2024 Nolan Hughes

After a thrilling semifinal doubleheader, the top two teams in the PBA Elite League presented by Snickers will battle for the Elias Cup on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Eastern on FS1.

The top-seeded Las Vegas High Rollers defeated the Motown Muscle in the opening semifinal. Las Vegas seeks to win the franchise’s first Elias Cup, and to do so against the team that beat them in the 2020 finals.

In the second semifinal, the Portland Lumberjacks defeated the Akron Atom Splitters to advance to the franchise’s fifth consecutive Elias Cup Finals. Portland, three-time champions, have made the finals in six of the past seven events.

The opening game of the evening saw a chaotic finish. AJ Johnson missed a 10-pin in Las Vegas’ ninth frame, setting up Motown anchor Anthony Simonsen with a chance to throw three strikes and steal the victory.

Instead, Simonsen left a 4-pin and missed it, handing a 1-0 advantage to Las Vegas without MVP Andrew Anderson needing to throw a shot in the final frame.

The High Rollers again clinched Game 2 before Anderson’s 10th frame, but the tall righty had plenty to bowl for: Las Vegas had the first 11 strikes.

The Muscle staved off elimination in Game 3 despite two open frames from Jason Sterner out of the leadoff position. A chaotic finish, including back-to-back open frames in the seventh and eight frames by Las Vegas, resulted in a narrow Motown victory.

While Anderson and the High Rollers failed to close the door in Game 3, they slammed it shut in Game 4. Las Vegas tallied seven of the first nine strikes to clinch the win and advance to the Elias Cup Finals.

The win validated the vision that Anderson and team manager Amleto Monacelli saw all along.

“Amleto and I got so much (grief) for this team we picked," Anderson said. "The picks of Rash and Ogle were questionable to some, but I think Rash tonight showed exactly why we picked him. He may be a touch past his prime, but when he gets to do this kind of thing he shows out. He is a rock. Having somebody like that leading us off gives us a lot of confidence.”

Rash, who struck on all eight of his opportunities on Monday night, said that while it took him some time to adjust to a new role, his mindset didn’t change all that much.

“Since college, I’ve always been the set-up guy or the anchor guy, but I’ve always had the mentality that winners want the ball, and that doesn’t matter what position you bowl in,” Rash said. “I know that if I'm healthy, I'm one of the best players in the world; I know that when I'm not healthy, I'm not. I'm just grateful that Amleto and the guys took a chance on me. This is a special event, a special place to bowl and a special team to bowl for.”

The Lumberjacks soar to their fifth straight Elias Cup Finals

 Akron’s Chris Via missed a 7-pin to start the second semifinal, an unfortunate sign of foreshadowing for the Atom Splitters. The hometown crowd energized the Lumberjacks as they cruised to their third victory over the Atom Splitters this season.

Portland’s clean 226 powered them to a win in Game 1, and a five-bagger put them ahead for good in Game 2.

Manager Mark Baker’s decision to sub in Nick Pate rallied the troops as the Atom Splitters extended their season with a narrow victory in Game 3. But the extension didn’t last long as the Lumberjacks poured it on in Game 4.

The 2019, 2020 and 2022 victors aim to become the first four-time Elias Cup champions.

“To be back in this position to have another chance at it, you couldn't ask for anything more. Everybody looks good, and I think we're gonna be even better tomorrow,” Portland anchor Kyle Troup said.

While manager Tim Mack noted that it takes good fortune to achieve this level of consistency, he credited his players.

“I think Tom Smallwood said it best: We don’t have egos on this team,” Mack said. “Take a guy like Wes Malott, who obviously is still battling his injuries and didn’t bowl tonight. But his presence carried our team so many times in the past. Even though he didn’t bowl tonight, he was very instrumental in helping us get this victory.”

The Elias Cup Finals between Las Vegas and Portland begins Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m ET on FS1.

The battle between the league's top two teams has been a long time coming.

“I expected to bowl them,” Troup said of the matchup with Las Vegas. “They do everything as one. There's a reason why we were the one- and two-seeds. It’s going to be a hell of a match.”

Anderson said he has not only expected, but wanted to see the Lumberjacks in the finals. 

“I've been a part of the team since 2020 with AJ, and we've lost to Portland a couple times,” Anderson said. “We're coming back with a vengeance. I'm more experienced. AJ is more experienced. Russo is more experienced.  We did not have our best stuff tonight, so imagine if we bring our best stuff tomorrow.”

PBA Elite League Playoffs Schedule

Semifinal 1: No. 1 Las Vegas def. No. 4 Motown, 3-1
Game 1: 247-225 Las Vegas
Game 2: 298-210 Las Vegas
Game 3: 203-201 Motown
Game 4: 245-203 Las Vegas

Semifinal 2: No. 2 Portland vs. No. 3 Akron, 3-1
Game 1: 226-195 Portland
Game 2: 246-174 Portland
Game 3: 204-193 Akron
Game 4: 246-215 Portland

Elias Cup Finals: No. 1 Las Vegas vs. No. 2 Portland
Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 7pm ET on FS1