It wasn’t the standing ovation Junie Sanders was hoping for. The near capacity crowd at Nike Pro City came to its feet with less than a minute to play in the title game, but it wasn’t for another Nike 1 title.

League announcer Big Brawley Chisholm announced to the fans that the game would be the 38-year-old Sanders’ last. The Brooklyn native and streetball legend has been playing in summer leagues since he was 14 years old and has been a staple at Pro City for many years. The 6-foot-3 guard scored five points in what he says will be his final contest and possibly the end of his squad’s stranglehold over the league. Nike 1, which had won four of the last five titles, fell 120-90 to Gold’s Gym in the final at Baruch Thursday night.

“It felt good,” Sanders said of the ovation. “I’ve put a lot of years out here. I really appreciate the fans that come out and support us. It was just one of those game. … We came out flat right from the beginning.”

Nike’s 1 never led and watched Andre Barrett score 27 points and hit six 3-pointers for Gold’s Gym. In the semifinal they fell behind at the half and roared to a decisive win. Nike 1 trailed by 13 at the break this time only to see the lead grow instead of shrink against the younger, faster and deeper Gold’s Gym.

Nike 1 shot just 38.4 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by just three. Lloyd Clinton led Nike 1 with 21 points and Tyrone Grant had 15 points and nine rebounds. Darren Phillip added 13 points and seven boards.

“We go on a little run and they bring in another wave for guys like we used to,” said Sanders, nicknamed Mr. Excitement.

Retirement is something Sanders has brought up each of the past two seasons, only to return for another go around. Failing to go out on top and the nature of the loss may be enough to change his mind once more.

“Knowing Junie, we will see a return of the Junie,” Gold’s Gym coach and fellow streetball legend John Strickland said. “He’s not going to go out like this.”