Catalina Foothills and UA grad Matt Brase coached the NBA D League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers to the playoffs, one of eight in a 22-team league. The Vipers won the opener of a best-of-three playoff last week against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, even though their top player, Gary Payton II, was recalled to the NBA three days before the playoffs. Brase, who is Lute Olson’s grandson, is an uptempo coach; the Vipers led the D League with 120 points per game.