Finalist

4 clues
Playoff survivor
Contender for the crown
National Book Award nominee
Participant in a deciding game
Similar answers:
Abclistening
Actualists
Aerialist
Aerialists
Affinal
Afilist
Afinal
Agentlist
Aglisten
Agriculturalist
Algebrafinal
Alist
Alistair
Alistaircook
Alistaircooke
Alistairmaclean
Alister
Alisters
Alistingagent
Alistprice